Direct challenge to Sri Lanka’s...

The accountability misdirection: This is not a teacher problem—it’s a policy failure.

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When teachers struggle to engage students, when graduates lack practical skills, when educational outcomes disappoint, policy makers consistently blame educators rather than examining their own systematic neglect of teacher development. Teachers cannot give what they have never received. They cannot model what they have never been taught. The failure lies not in the classroom but in the ministries and institutions that treat the most important profession for national development as an afterthought in budget planning and strategic thinking.

Invest in transformation, not maintenance: Continuing to underfund a broken system while hoping for different results is not just poor policy—it’s a betrayal of every student who deserves better and every taxpayer who expects their government to prioritise the nation’s future over short-term political gains.

Experiential learning through real-world projects and service learning: This approach transforms classrooms into laboratories for solving Sri Lanka’s actual challenges. Students might develop sustainable farming techniques for rural communities while learning biology and chemistry, create digital marketing strategies for local small businesses while studying economics and technology, or design community health programs while exploring social studies and mathematics. Service learning becomes integral—students don’t just study poverty; they work with NGOs to develop solutions. They don’t just read about environmental issues; they partner with local communities to implement conservation projects. This method ensures that every subject has practical application, making learning immediately relevant and impactful. Students graduate not with theoretical knowledge alone, but with portfolios of real contributions to their communities and proven ability to apply their learning to solve complex problems.