Distant Education Academy

Our story began eight years ago when our directress at the time, the late Ms. Kalani Perera, faced a dilemma of sorts and asked herself if it were possible to make quality education accessible to children from rural communities. After weighing her options over tea and biscuits with Ms. Shanthi Welikala, the pair of teachers decided to establish Distant Education Academy.

The origins of our institution aren’t particularly unique, and with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic soon after, many plans were left at a standstill. Regardless, with a handful of teachers specializing in English and Mathematics, Distant Education Academy initially began as a wholly online project. With online classes, we believed we could make a change, even if it was only a small one. So, we set out on a mission to connect the right teachers with the right students.

Following the passing of Ms. Kalani Perera, Ms. Shanthi Welikala assumed sole responsibility over the institution, and sought ways to address the problem that had bothered the previous head all along. With the consent of the teachers employed, we shifted to a hybrid model of learning by offering both online and off-site classes. The latter gave us the opportunity to make quality education truly accessible, and we regularly send our volunteer teachers to conduct classes at students’ homes—or, if the students and parents aren’t comfortable with that, the teachers offer these classes from their own homes.

Over time, we’ve expanded to include intermediate mathematics and spoken English classes for adults as well.

The process hasn’t always been the easiest, but we are committed to providing personalized and affordable learning that builds confidence for the students under our care, because education is a right that no child and adult should be denied of.