Annual Field Visit to Badulla – one of the disaster-prone areas of the country

The annual field visit to Badulla was organized for the third-year undergraduates of the Department of Public Administration of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura from October 6th and 7th, 2024. This visit was a part of the Public Policy Analysis course modules. The purpose of the visit was to provide students with practical exposure related to public policy formulation and identify potential gaps in policy implementation that could hinder the achievement of the intended outcomes of the disaster management policy.

On the first day, students attended several lectures delivered by officers from the Disaster Management Center, Disaster Relief Center, and the National Building Research Bureau (NBR) attached to the Badulla District Secretariat. These lectures provided insights into the policies implemented by the government to control disaster risk reduction. After the discussion, the students visited several villages, including Sumanathissapura, Kanawerella, Maussagala, Gamewella 4th Mile, and Tholabowatta, where residents experience floods and landslides. During these visits, students interviewed families to get their experience and awareness of disaster management practices in the area.

On the Second day, the students presented their collected data from the field visits to the officers from the Disaster Management Centre and other relevant local authorities, engaging in a productive discussion to examine the effectiveness of disaster management policies and practices. In the afternoon of the second day, our students visited B/ Haliela Central College (National School), where our academics and students delivered motivational speeches to advanced-level students. The session concluded with an open discussion with the advanced-level students and our undergraduates, providing a platform to share the challenges and opportunities that they encountered during their studies.

This field visit was organized by Snr. Prof. R. L. S. Fernando, with the assistance of academics, including Mr. W. G. T. S. Senanayaka, Head of the Department, Ms. J. A. I. Sithara, and other academics, including Ms. H. R. A. S. Vindula, Ms. Charuka Walpola, Ms. Anjula Nonis, and Ms. Nithya Chandrasena.