EdTech Seminar in Sri Lanka: Proposing “Education Continuity Plan (ECP)”

The seminar “How schools need to change with/after COVID-19” was held on December 9 and 16, 2020, in Sri Lanka. Inviting minitries related to education from Sri Lanka and Japan, the event presented how to continue learning in the crisis by leveraging technology.

The event was held online with total 52 participants from various schools.

The Program

Opening Remarks
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (Recorded Video)
  Mr. Minami Shimpei, Director Office for International Strategy Planning
- Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka
  Ms. Ganga Dilhani, Deputy Director of Education, Science Branch, Ministry of Education
Actions to be taken by Sri Lanka Government under COVID-19
- Dr. Ashoka De Silva, Director, National Institute of Education in Sri Lanka
Trends of the digital learning in Japan and world under COVID-19
- Mr. Takahiko Yunokawa, CEO, SuRaLa Net Co.,Ltd.
Concept and practice of “Education Continuity Plan”
- Ms. Tomoko Fujihira, Executive Officer, SuRaLa Net Co.,Ltd.
Perspectives on the responses of schools to the COVID-19 crisis
- Dr. Nalin Wikramanayake, Senior Lecturer, Open University of Sri Lanka
Case study: School operation and perspective under COVID-19
- Ms. Maryanne Hills, Principal, Horizon College International
- Ms. Malithi Jayatissa Diyagama, Coordinating Principal, Leeds International School

The event started with opening remarks by the government representative from both Sri Lanka and Japan. Highlighting “Education Continuity Plan (ECP)” and “digitalization of education”, experts from Sri Lanka presented actions and changes in education in response to COVID-19, while SuRaLa Net introduced the practice in Japan and Sri Lanka. Also, two schools in Sri Lanka shared their experiences utilizing e-learning “Surala” during the pandemic.

Participants were also actively engaged with the discussion to enhance learning in the pandemic situation. With the high interest in Japanese-style education in Sri Lanka, the event also symbolized that the government and private sector continued to work together to promote and disseminate Japanese-style education in Sri Lanka.

^*This event was held as a part of the “Dissemination of Japanese-style Education Using the Public-Private Collaborative Platform (EDU-Port Japan Project)”