The ACCA Escape the Challenge Competition, an event dedicated to celebrating and rewarding exceptional academic talent among Sri Lankan students, has wrapped up with impressive results. This year’s competition saw remarkable engagement from schools across the country, showcasing the exceptional skills and dedication of young minds. The event provided a valuable platform for students to demonstrate their academic excellence and problem-solving capabilities, emphasizing the outstanding talent present throughout Sri Lanka.
Nilusha Ranasinghe, the Head of South Asia for ACCA, emphasized the growing need for innovation among the youth in her address. She expressed her pleasure at the enthusiastic participation of over 125 schools this time, including participants from the Northern and Eastern provinces. She noted that this wide representation from diverse geographic areas underscores the broad engagement and commitment to academic excellence across Sri Lanka.
The competition judging was based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including A Level subject knowledge, creativity, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and overall presentation. The selection process involved a rigorous evaluation by a panel of esteemed judges, who carefully reviewed each entry to ensure a fair and thorough assessment. The judging panel included Mr. Mahen Muttiah, Director and Head of Research at Vanguard Survey (Pvt) Ltd, Ms. Dilini Aruppala, Senior Lecturer at the University of Kelaniya, and Ms. Sukitha Arangallage, Head of Sustainability at Cargills Ceylon PLC and an ACCA member.
The winners of the ACCA Escape the Challenge Competition were: St. Bridget’s Convent – Colombo who claimed first place. St. Joseph Vaz College – Vennappuwa earned the second spot, with Visakha Vidyalaya – Colombo coming in at third place.
In addition to recognizing the top three winners, the ACCA Escape the Challenge Competition also honored 12 other schools with Special Recognition Awards for their commendable performance. These schools include Rathnawali Balika Vidyalaya – Gampaha, St. Joseph’s Girls’ School – Nugegoda, Nalanda College – Colombo, Mahamaya Girls’ College – Kandy, Rajawaka Maha Vidyalaya – Balangoda, Our Lady of Victories Convent – Moratuwa, Ferguson High School – Ratnapura, Kothalawalapura Maha Vidyalaya – Ratmalana, St. Paul’s Girls’ School – Milagiriya, Prince of Wales’ College – Moratuwa, Saddhathissa National School – Bandaragama, and De Mazenod College – Kandana. These awards acknowledge the impressive efforts and achievements of these schools in the competition.
The event underscored ACCA’s commitment to fostering innovation and providing opportunities for students from all regions across the island to showcase their talents. The ACCA Escape the Challenge Competition continues to be a powerful platform for nurturing academic excellence and creative thinking among the youth of Sri Lanka.