Prime Minister Harini emphasises equal access to education as Government policy

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that it is the government’s policy to ensure equal and continuous access to education for all students, regardless of their social or economic background.

She made this statement during a visit to President’s Science College in Puttalam yesterday morning (January 17) while inspecting schools affected by Cyclone Ditwah and raising awareness among residents of the Puttalam District about education reforms.

Further elaborating, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said that under current conditions in Sri Lanka, students studying in schools located in remote and difficult areas have very limited facilities to pursue science and mathematics streams. She stressed that the government’s expectation and policy is to ensure continuous and equal opportunities for all students to receive education.

She said she was pleased with the pilot initiatives being carried out for the science stream but emphasised that science and mathematics should not be overvalued above other fields. She noted that all professions are important, just like science and mathematics.

She added that whether one becomes a doctor or an engineer, they work with people and for people, and therefore must possess human qualities such as empathy. She stated that producing well rounded citizens who respect others, maintain strong human relationships, and act with compassion and ethics is essential to making the country a better place in the future, and that this can only be achieved through quality education.

The Prime Minister also noted that there are many teacher and principal vacancies in schools and that Cabinet approval has been granted to recruit 23,000 teachers. She said steps will be taken in the future to assign teachers to schools with existing vacancies.

She further said that learning is not only about memorising facts. Children should develop the desire to explore information driven by curiosity, and they must learn how to learn.

Afterwards, the Prime Minister engaged in a friendly interaction with students of Puttalam President’s Science College.

State Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Chandana Abayarathna, Members of Parliament, teachers, students, parents, and several others were present on the occasion.