Education

A/L 2024 : School life disrupted by false claims, Dr. Shafi’s Daughter rises to Medical Dream

Published

12 months ago

April 27, 2025

The daughter of Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen, who was at the centre of a high-profile false sterilisation allegation in 2019, has secured entry to a medical faculty after achieving outstanding results at the 2024 GCE Advanced Level examination.

Despite being forced to leave school due to the intense public scrutiny and mental pressure faced by the family during the controversy, she displayed remarkable courage and resilience by sitting for the exam as a private candidate.

She obtained 3 As in the Science stream, achieving a district rank of 12 and an island rank of 357, securing a place at a state medical faculty.

Earlier, she had excelled at the GCE Ordinary Level examination as well, securing 9 As, and had publicly expressed her dream of becoming a doctor like her father to serve the people.

The case against Dr. Shafi Shihabdeen was later dismissed after investigations found no evidence to support the allegations. His daughter’s achievement stands as a testament to her perseverance in the face of immense adversity

Education

Sri Lanka’s PhD holdersrise to 11,757

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2026

admin

Sri Lanka has recorded a rise in the number of PhD holders, alongside a broader shift towards higher educational attainment over the past decade, according to the latest data on the population aged 25 and above in the Census of Population and Housing 2024.

Here are 7 key figures from the report:

1. PhD holders increased from 6,557 in 2012 to 11,757 in 2024, though still accounting for just 0.1% of the population.

2. The number of people with degrees more than doubled, rising from 358,052 (3.0%) to 780,958 (5.6%).

3. Those with a tertiary education grew significantly from 2,195,117 (18.2%) in 2012 to 3,635,462 (26.2%) in 2024.

4. Individuals with G.C.E. A/L or equivalent rose from 1,724,574 (14.2%) to 2,677,022 (19.4%).

5. The population with secondary education increased from 7,079,569 to 8,096,402, accounting for around 58% in both years.

6. Those with only primary education declined from 2,214,792 (18.4%) to 1,738,942 (12.5%).

7. The number of people with no schooling dropped from 561,163 (4.7%) to 400,511 (2.9%).

Education

Sri Lanka wins first international Tamil debating title in Malaysia

Published

4 months ago

December 27, 2025

admin

Sri Lankan school Tamil debaters have created history by winning their first-ever international championship, securing the title at the Sampanthan Paindhamizh Chudar 5.0 competition in Malaysia.

The victory was achieved by the National Development Squad of the Tamil Debaters’ Council of Sri Lanka, making them the first non-Malaysian team to win the prestigious championship, organised by Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). The achievement marks a major milestone for Sri Lankan Tamil debating on the global stage.

Education

University of Colombo discovers plant-based Cancer Drug

Published

7 months ago

October 3, 2025

admin

After nearly 17 years of continuous research since 2008, the Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the University of Colombo has successfully developed a nutrient-based drug capable of destroying cancer cells.

The breakthrough was led by Professor Sameera R. Samarakoon and his research team, who discovered that a combination of five medicinal plants — Vernonia zeylanica, Nigella sativa, Hemidesmus indicus, Leucas zeylanica, and Smilax glabra — has the potential to kill cancer cells.

This discovery marks a significant step forward in cancer research, highlighting the value of traditional medicinal plants in modern scientific innovation.