Shaleeka Jayalath
Shaleeka Jayalath is a seasoned educator and writer with a keen focus on learning beyond the classroom. Having begun her teaching career in 1997, Shaleeka brings several years of experience in both formal and non-formal curricula to the education space. She is the Founder Principal of CSAS International School, where she continues to champion innovative and student-centred approaches to learning. She has partnered with Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. to produce a 12-part online series, The Education Hour with Shaleeka Jayalath, aimed at exploring progressive educational practices. In addition, she has written multiple educational articles for The Nation between 2015 and 2016. Her extensive academic background is further reflected in her published works, including Algebra for O'Levels (Sarvodaya Vishva Lekha Publications, 1999), a comprehensive textbook designed for O-Level students. Shaleeka has also contributed several insightful articles to the Journal of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, including The True Meaning of Scenario Analysis (2005) and MCDA: Putting the Numbers into the Intangible (2003). Additionally, she authored a biographical piece on Mukta Wijesinha for Sam Wijesinha: His Parliament, His World (2012), edited by R. Wijesinha, which highlights the life and contributions of the distinguished parliamentarian. Her body of work reflects a deep commitment to advancing education and contributing to the broader discourse on analytical thinking and knowledge dissemination.
ECHOES OF CONSCIENCE, PART III THE MORAL COMPASS OF OUR AGE
History remembers its great reformers not only for what they opposed, but for what they proposed: a vision of humanity anchored in conscience. Gandhi, King, and Mandela each challenged the injustices of their
ECHOES OF CONSCIENCE, PART II MANDELA AND LEGACY
In tracing the moral lineage of non-violent resistance, one finds a remarkable thread that winds its way from the railways of Pietermaritzburg to the streets of Montgomery, and finally, to the prisons of Robben
ECHOES OF CONSCIENCE PART I GANDHI AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR
In the story of human progress, some figures emerge whose ideas transcend borders, languages and centuries. Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. were two such figures. The former faced
THE DEATH OF OLD-FASHIONED ROMANCE: WHAT GEN Z NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LOVE
A generation or two ago, romance was similar to a quiet flame, tended to with care. Today, it tends to be more akin to a firework that fizzles out the moment the spectacle is over. What happened to good old-
TIME FOR POPCORN & 3D GLASSES Revealing The Top 5 Must-Watch Movies For Every Student
Students often think preparing for exams means burying themselves in books, scribbling answers to past papers, and memorizing notes until the early hours. The latter is without doubt the worst thing to do
THE UNTOLD LESSONS OF LEADERSHIP: REMEMBERING M.H.M. ASHRAFF
In education, we often emphasise the mastery of subjects, be it mathematics, science, history, or literature. Yet, one of the most neglected aspects of learning is the study of character.
THE GREAT BETRAYAL, PART II QUESTIONING THE SRI LANKAN IDENTITY
We often speak of Sri Lankan identity as if it is ancient, singular, and uncontested. Politicians invoke it, textbooks promote it, and we cling to it as a marker of who we are. But what if this very idea is an illusion?
THE GREAT BETRAYAL PART I THE KANDYAN CONVENTION AND THE LOSS OF SOVEREIGNTY
On March 2, 1815, a group of Kandyan chiefs gathered in the Royal Audience Hall in the precincts of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy to sign what would become one of the most consequential documents
BETWEEN PROMISE AND PERIL THE TEST OF EDUCATIONAL REFORM
Of late, the Government of Sri Lanka has been speaking (quite rightly!) of educational reform. The Honourable Prime Minister, speaking on behalf of the Government, stated, “Our foremost function is to
A CEYLONESE MURDER THE SLOW DEATH OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SRI LANKA
When the British East India Company set foot on Ceylonese soil in 1796, they did not just bring their muskets, their ships, and their laws.
SUBCONSCIOUS PARENTING WHEN OUR CHILDREN BECOME MIRRORS OF US
It is only in the saddest of circumstances that a parent will claim that they do not love their children. The vast majority, irrespective of personal choice and socio-economic circumstances, will say when asked that they love their children and want what is best for them.
SO, YOU DID NOT GET THE A-LEVEL RESULTS YOU WANTED NOW WHAT?
So, what if you did not get the results you wanted? Are you going to roll over and die? Or are you going to get on with it? Because, let’s be honest, the statement of results in your hand is not a death sentence
AI TO CHAT OR NOT TO CHAT THAT IS THE QUESTION
“We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than
WEAPONISED INCOMPETENCE How laziness becomes a strategy and a culture
Weaponised incompetence is a phrase that has been quietly making the rounds in management circles. However, in mainstream discourse, it rarely receives even an honourable mention (perhaps
EXCELSIOR A TRIBUTE TO IMAGINATION
On the 2nd and 3rd of August, the Harold Peiris Gallery in Colombo 7 will host Excelsior, Sri Lanka’s first-ever photographic exhibition dedicated to pop culture archetypes. Curated and created by a group of local
WAS PEARL HARBOUR JUSTIFIED?
In history classrooms around the world, Pearl Harbour is taught as the defining moment that dragged the United States into World War II. The date, December 7, 1941, is etched into global
Who’s Really Lucky The Adopted Child OR The Parent?
There is a popular belief that adopted children are “the lucky ones” to be given the opportunity of being placed in a loving home. But in truth, parenting, be it for biological or adoptive children, has
The Lost Art of Teaching Reclaiming the Ancient Power of Questions, Stories, and Wisdom in the Modern Classroom
Long before standardized tests and neatly arranged classrooms, education was not about answers. Rather, it was about questions. Socrates, the father of Western philosophy, would stop Athenians in the
Teach The Talk Addressing Lgbtq+ In Schools With Sensitivity – Not Silence
In today’s blended world of cultural heritage, religious sentiment, and the fast-paced curiosity of teens, the topic of gender identity and LGBTQ+ issues is more relevant (not to mention, more sensitive) than ever. Three of the five major global religions maintain disapproval of homosexuality, creating deeply rooted social stigmas. This sensitivity, however, cannot be a reason to side line the conversations that curious, questioning young minds a
TRUTH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS WHY TODAY’S STUDENTS MUST LEARN TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES
The predominant (not to mention, extremely sad) paradox of our times is that despite unprecedented access to knowledge, most students (and increasingly adults too!) seem far less capable of original and critical thinking as compared to Gen X teenagers several decades ago. Search engines, social media feeds, and now everyone’s new best friend ChatGPT have placed answers (quite literally!) at teenagers’ fingertips, making questioning redundant, and
