Sundayobserver.lk - Youth not entering workforce at right age, a challenge for corporates

Women being skilled but confined to home impede growth of the female-contribution to the workforce which should comprise of competent workers for economic growth, noted speakers at a panel discussion on the current economic crisis and its effects on children’s education conducted by Sarvodaya Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement and Atlas, a leading education brand last week.

Women yet accounting for less than 40 percent of the total workforce has not been properly addressed even at legislative level, experts said.

Children are the most affected by the present economic fallout which is having drastic repercussion on the socio-economic state of the vulnerable segment of the population.

Around 25 percent of the youth idling and not entering the workforce at the right age is a major issue faced by the corporate community, said Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Resource Management, University of Kelaniya, Dr. Udaya Mohan Devdas.

Education is not only imparting knowledge and enhancing skills but also should focus on physical, spiritual, psychological and leadership development, he said.

According to a recent needs assessment by Save the Children, 50% of Sri Lankan families are struggling to support their children’s education and some children are already dropping out of school.

Quoting Bill Gates who said around 90 percent of lottery winners end up at the same state they were before as they did not know how to recreate wealth.

Wealth is the ability to recreate wealth, The Advocata Institute COO Dhananath Fernando said an exam–oriented education system in the country will neither help the people nor the country to prosper.

Education should focus on problem-solving and decision-making, he said.

Sarvodaya and Atlas through the ‘Light a Future’ initiative hope to provide learning tools to 100,000 children who are most in danger of dropping out of school.

The organisations plan to raise USD 1.5 million in the next 90 days to ensure children receive their essential learning tools packs in time for the 2023 school year.

Atlas will contribute funds for 2,500 children and will also be providing subsidised products for the Light a Future initiative. The initiative calls on Sri Lankan corporates and individuals to join the cause – not only as donors and benefactors but as partners. The project seeks collaborators willing to connect the initiative to global Sri Lankan communities, associates who can amplify the message to other organisations, and support to amplify the cause among international donor audiences and networks.