Beyond the pitch

 The online exams are a popular these days. May higher and tertiary level institutions have switched to online exams to continue the academic calendar. Sri Lankan schools have not yet done online exams and soon the students will also have to face online tests.  Assessments are a crucial part of any academic process. The assessments stems from the need to test whether the learner has acquired the necessary learning outcomes. Assessments help to assess the validity and relevance of the learning process. Students in Sri Lankan schools can get better grades or marks if their retension skills are high. The ability to regurgitate whatever they have learnt at the class or from the teacher is the hallmark of any good Sri Lankan student. Tjere might be exceptions, but more or less there is a common understanding that if your memory is stupendous, you can easily score high marks at any examination.  Advanced Level examination seems to be a different case to thr point illustrated ab...

 The past couple of years have seen a different shape in human civilisation. The speed which human being has tried to run has come to a sudden standstill with the pandemic and things that we took for granted have such a value now ; a walk with your friend, a trip with your friends or at least your freedom to see each other's face or even breathe. The mobility is no longer a comfort as it used to be. I do not want to talk or write about the travel restrictions imposed due to Covid-19, but my being circling back to Covid-19 proves how it has become a shared common reality in everyone's life.      What I want write about is  true friendship. But why do we need to bother about friendship or friends during a gloomy period like this? What advantages or what benefits a friend can bring to you in a trying time like this? Can they feed you? Can they give you gifts? Can they throw you surprise birthday parties? To what end? I am pretty sure these questions are not yours b...