Professor Ajith de Alwis, Dean – Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Moratuwa, presently on secondment to the National Innovation Authority, delivered the inaugural Tennyson Rodrigo Memorial Lecture on “Education and Creative Destruction with Education for Sri Lanka” to an distinguished audience of family and friends at the Samudra Ballroom, Taj Samudra, Colombo on 11 November, 2022.
The Speaker shared the concerns he has with the deterioration of the quality and usefulness of education in Sri Lanka, the sharp drop in the key indicators on education and highlighted the need to change the present education system where children are merely being successful at exams through rigid coaching which suppresses creative thinking and intelligent actions. He recommended initiatives by which the future generations and the country would benefit and aligned those with the aspirations of late Mr. Tennyson Rodrigo to bring about changes in attitudes and critical thinking. He proposed STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) to advance the benefits of STEM.
The evening also included an interesting walkdown the memory lane by Dr Thushara Rodrigo, one of the nephews of the settlor about his uncle Tennyson and aunt Vinitha and the launch of this website by Mrs Swarnamali Rodrigo, one of the two sisters of the settlor and mother of Dr Thushara Rodrigo. The evening was followed by a sumptuous dinner whilst networking amongst the invitees. Chairman, Deva Rodrigo welcomed the audience and Dr Himan Punchihewa delivered the vote of thanks.
