උතුරු මැද පලාතේ ගුරු විදුහල්පති ගැටලුව ඉදිරි මාස 3 තුළ විසඳන්න

නව අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණ ක්‍රියාවලිය සිදුකිරීමේදී දරුවන්ට ගුණාත්මක අධ්‍යාපනයක් ලබා දීම වෙනුවෙන් ගුරු විදුහල්පති ස්ථාන මාරු නිසි පරිදි සිදු විය යුතු බවත්, පළාත් සහ මධ්‍යම රජය නිසි පරිදි සම්බන්ධිකරණය පවත්වා ගත යුතු බවත් අධ්‍යාපන, උසස් අධ්‍යාපන හා වෘත්තීය අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍ය, අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය ආචාර්ය හරිනි අමරසූරිය පැවසුවාය.

2026 සිට ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමට නියමිත නව අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණ සම්බන්ධයෙන් පළාත්, කලාප හා කොට්ඨාස මට්ටමින් අධ්‍යාපන හා පරිපාලන බලධාරීන් දැනුවත් කිරීම වෙනුවෙන් ආරම්භ කළ දැනුවත් කිරීමෙි සාකච්ඡා මාලාවේ පළමු වැඩසටහන අමතමින් අද (12) උතුරුමැද පළාත් සභාවේ දී අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරිය මේ බව පැවසීය.

නව අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය තුළින් සිදුකරන විෂය මාලා සංශෝධනය, ඇගයීම් සහ තක්සේරුකරණ ක්‍රියාවලිය, යටිතල පහසුකම් සංවර්ධනය කිරීම, ගුරු විදුහල්පති සහ අධ්‍යාපන පරිපාලන පුරප්පාඩු අවම කිරීම, පලාත් සභා සහ මධ්‍යම රජය අතර නිසි සම්බන්ධිකරණය සිදු කිරීම, පළාත් සභා මට්ටමින් පවතින ගැටලු අවබෝධ කරගනිමින් ඊට කඩිනම් විසදුම් ලබා දීම පිලිබඳව මෙහිදී සාකච්ඡා කෙරිණ.

මෙහිදී අදහස් දැක් වූ අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය ආචාර්ය හරිනි අමරසූරිය,

පවතින අධ්‍යාපන ක්‍රමය වෙනස් විය යුතුයි කියලා අපි සියලු දෙනාම පිලිගන්නවා, ඒ වෙනුවෙන් මේ ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය සිදුකළ යුතුයි. විශේෂයෙන් දැනට ඉන්න ගුරුවරුන් පුහුණු කරන්න අවශ්‍යයි, යටිතල පහසුකම් සංවර්ධනය කරන්න අවශ්‍යයි, පරිපාලන ව්‍යුහය ශක්තිමත් කරන්න අවශ්‍යයි, ඩිජිටල්කරණය සිදු කිරීමත් අවශ්‍ය වෙනවා.

ප්‍රධාන ම කාරණය මේ ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය දිහා තනි තනිව බලන්න එපා, සමස්ථ ක්‍රියාවලියේ ම, පද්ධතියේ ම ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණයක් මේ සිදු කරන්නේ. මේ රට හැමදාම දියුණු වෙමින් තියන රටක් කියලා විතරක් මදි, ඒ ක්‍රමය වෙනස් කරන්න ඕන. ඒක කරන්න වෙන්නේ අපිටම තමයි. මොකක් හෝ හේතුවකට මේ තත්වය වෙනස් කරන්න අපිට සිද්ධවෙලා තිබෙනවා. ඒ වෙනුවෙන් ගුරුවරුන් විතරක් නෙමෙයි පරිපාලන ⁣ක්ෂේත්‍රය, දෙමාපියන් ඇතුළු සියලු දෙනා මැදිහත් වෙන්න අවශ්‍යයි. මේ ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණය ගැන නිවැරදිව දැනුවත් වෙන්න අවශ්‍යයි.

දරුවන් පාසලෙන් එළියට එනවිට විශ්වවිද්‍යාල, උසස් අධ්‍යාපන හෝ වෘත්තීය අධ්‍යාපනය තුළින් ඉදිරියට යන්න මාර්ගයක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමයි මේ සිදු කරන්නේ. රට ඉදිරියට ගන්න නම් අධ්‍යාපන පරිවර්තනය අනිවාර්යයෙන් සිදු කරන්න අවශ්‍යයි. ඒ වගේම මේ ක්‍රියාවලියේදී රාජ්‍ය සේවයට අදාල ස්ථාන මාරු නිසි පරිදි සිදු කරන්න වෙනවා. ගුරු විදුහල්පතිවරුන් ස්ථාන මරු කිරීම් නිසි පරිදි තුලනය කරන්න වෙනවා.

පළාත් වශයෙන් ගුරු විදුහල්පති ගැටලු විසදන්න අවශ්‍ය කඩිනම් ක්‍රියාමාර්ග පළාත් සභාව හරහා සිදු කරන්න. ඒ වෙනුවෙන් අමාත්‍යංශය හරහා සිදුවිය යුතු චක්‍රලේඛ හා නීතිමය සංශෝධන සිදු කරන්න අපි සූදානම්. ජාතික පාසල්, පළාත් පාසල් කියලා බෙදන්න යන්න එපා. සියලු පාසල් අපේ, අපේ දරුවන් ඉන්නේ.

දැනට පාසල් තුළ සිටින දරුවන්ට අපි වග කියන්න ඕනේ, ඒ වෙනුවෙන් පාසල් වල තත්වය නිවැරදි කරගන්නයි අපිට අවශ්‍යය. ගැටලු විසඳන්න අපි එකඟතාවකට ඇවිල්ලා වැඩ කරමු.

ආණ්ඩුවක් ලෙස අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණ සඳහා අපි විශේෂ අවධානයක් යොමු කර තිබෙනවා. විශේෂයෙන්ම ජනාධිපතිතුමා සඳහන් කළා අධ්‍යාපනය වෙනුවෙන් මානව සම්පත දියුණු කරන්න, යටිතල පහසුකම් සංවර්ධනය කරන්න අවශ්‍ය මූල්‍ය පහසුකම් ලබා දෙන්නම් කියලා.

අපිට තියෙන්නේ මේ ගැටලු ටික විසඳගෙන නව අධ්‍යාපන පරිවර්තනය සිදු කිරීමයි. පළමු වසර අපිට දුෂ්කර වෙයි නමුත් වසර තුන හතරක් යන විට පහසුවෙන් සිදු කරන්න පුලුවන් වෙයි.

අපිට මේ සාකච්ඡා වැදගත් වෙන්නේ පළාත් මට්ටමෙන් මේ ක්‍රියාවලිය සිදු කිරීමේදී පවතින ගැටලු නිරාකරණය කරගන්නයි. අපේ දරුවන් වෙනුවෙන් මේ පරිවර්තනයට ඔබේ සහය ලබා දෙන්න.

විශේෂයෙන් උතුරු මැද පලාතේ තියන ගුරු විදුහල්පති ගැටලුව ඉදිරි මාස තුන තුළ විසඳන්න කටයුතු කරන ලෙසද අග්‍රාමාත්‍යතුමිය නිලධාරීන්ට උපදෙස් ලබා දුන්නාය.

වෙළඳ, වාණිජ හා පාරිභෝගික සේවා අමාත්‍ය වසන්ත සමරසිංහ මහතා,

උතුරු මැද පළාතේ අධ්‍යාපන ගැටලු රාශියක් තිබෙනවා. විශේෂයෙන් මෙතෙක් කලක් කලාප අධ්‍යාපන අධ්‍යක්ෂකවරු නිසි පරිදි පත්කර පත්වීම් ලබා දීලා නැහැ. විදුහල්පතිවරු නිසිපරිදි පත්කරලා නැහැ. ඒ සියල්ල විසදන්න අවශ්‍යයි. අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යංශය අවශ්‍ය කටයුතු සිදු කරනවා වගේම පළාත් මට්ටමින් අධ්‍යාපනයේ තිබෙන ගැටලු නිරාකරණය කරන්න කටයුතු කරන්න. උතුරු මැද පළාතේ සමහර විදුහල්වල විදුහල්පතිවරු නැහැ කියනවා. නමුත් අතිරික්ත ශ්‍රේණිධාරී විදුහල්පතිවරු 46ක් සිටිනවා. ළමයි 16කට එක් ගුරුවරුවරයෙක් ඉන්නවා නමුත් පාසල්වලින් කියනවා ගුරුවරු නැහැ කියලා මේ තත්වය කඩිනමින් වෙනස් විය යුතුයි. නිවැරදිව ස්ථානමාරුවීම් සිදු කරලා. සම්මුඛ පරීක්ෂණයක් කරලා විධිමත් ලෙස පත්වීම් නොලැබූ නිලධාරීන්ට නිසි පරිදි පත්වීම් ලබා දෙන්න කටයුතු කරන ලෙසද වෙළඳ, වාණිජ හා පාරිභෝගික සේවා අමාත්‍ය වසන්ත සමරසිංහ මහතා පැවසීය.

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී භාග්‍ය ශ්‍රි හේරත්, නිමල් පලිහේන, උතුරුමැද පළාත් ආණ්ඩුකාර වසන්ත ජිනදාස, අධ්‍යාපන, උසස් අධ්‍යාපන හා වෘත්තීය අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යංශයේ ලේකම් නාලක කළුවැව, උතුරුමැද පළාත් ප්‍රධාන ලේකම් ජේ.එම්.ආර්.පී. ජයසිංහ, පළාත් අධ්‍යාපන අධ්‍යක්ෂ එම්.එම්. ඩබ්. සමරකෝන් යන මහත්වරුන්, අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍යංශය, විභාග දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව, අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රකාශන දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව, ජාතික අධ්‍යාපන ආයතනය, උතුරුමැද පළාත් සභාව, පළාත් අධ්‍යාපන දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව නියෝජනය කරන නිලධාරීන් ඇතුළු පිරිසක් මෙම අවස්ථාවට සහභාගී වුහ.

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

The official handover of the Sri Sobitha Nahimigama housing project to its beneficiaries took place on July 12 at Oyamadua, Elpathagama in the Anuradhapura District, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

During the event, 115 houses under the project were handed over to the public and the housing project was implemented with the support of the Commemoration Foundation of the Most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero, the current government, and the Government of India.

During the ceremony, the Prime Minister unveiled the commemorative plaque and symbolically handed over the keys to three selected housing recipients. The Prime Minister also planted a sapling within the temple grounds.

Addressing the event, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

The late Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero made a significant commitment to this village during his lifetime. We appreciate the efforts of the Commemoration Foundation engaged in discussions with both the Sri Lankan and Indian governments to improve the living conditions of the people here after his Reverend’s passing.

From a young age, I had the opportunity to associate closely with Venerable Sobitha Thero. I learned about Buddhism from him. He taught me to stand up against injustice and fight for what is right.

While we focus on developing the economy physically, we are engaged in shaping the future of our children. We are ensuring that they receive a quality education that prepares them to become the next generation of leaders of this country through education reforms.

The Chief Incumbent of the Sri Sobitha Temple, Rev. Elpathagama Revatha Thero,

Back then, Venerable Sobitha Thero supported this village by even sharing items he received for the temple, like sugar and tea leaves. He was a truly exemplary Bhikku.

When this project began in 2017, politicians visited the village but as they were not allowed to act as they pleased like cutting down trees, harming animals, piling up sand, or engaging in corruption, they abandoned the project.

In 2017, I went to meet a certain minister to request that the village bus be given a proper timetable. However during the meeting, he threw my letter in my face. That is how the previous governments treated these poor people.

I personally requested the President to complete this project by May 2025. True to his word, he fulfilled that promise and handed over the responsibility to the Prime Minister to proceed. Our Minister of Housing, Anura Karunathilaka, visited every house in the village. All relevant officials were instructed to complete the project on the requested date. The present government extended great support to ensure this work was completed successfully.

Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Mr. Wasantha Samarasinghe, who participated in the event, stated:

For long-neglected villages like this, providing essential facilities such as hospitals, reservoirs, and education is a must. Delivering these is the responsibility of our government.

We have a procedure to connect village productions to the broader markets under the cooperative system.

Minister of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing, Mr. Anura Karunathilaka, added:

We are working to provide safe and healthy housing for all under the policies of the National People’s Power (NPP). This year, we are investing a significant amount to build new houses.

When we visited this village, we saw the suffering of the people. Our government is committed to uplifting their lives.

Indian High Commissioner Mr. Santosh Jha, who also attended the event, stated:

At this moment, India is progressing under the theme ’Let us rise together,’ and Sri Lanka too is on a transformative path towards prosperity and a better life, this joint project between the Indian and Sri Lankan governments is a strong example of the deep bond between our two nations.

The teachings of Buddhism continue not only to inspire the strong ties and mutual support between our countries but also the project launched by the governments of India and Sri Lanka to facilitate the economic relief indicates the compassion highlighted in Buddhism.

The event was graced by the presence of the Chief Incumbent of the Thanthirimale Raja Maha Vihara, Most Venerable Thanthirimale Chandraratana Thero and Maha sangha.

The event was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Housing Development, Construction, and Housing, Mr. T.B. Sarath; former Speaker Mr. Karu Jayasuriya; MP for Anuradhapura District Mr. Sene Nanayakkara; Chairman of the Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero Foundation Mr. Ravi Jayawardena; housing beneficiaries; and a large gathering of local residents.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

A meeting between the Global Development Chair including the delegation of the American Gates Foundation and the Prime Minister was held on 11th of July at the Parliament.

During the meeting, Dr. Chris Elias, Global Development Chair of the Gates Foundation, mentioned that this was his first visit to Sri Lanka and expressed his gratitude for the invitation extended to participate in this important discussion at the Parliament.

Dr. Chris Elias also stated that the Gates Foundation is willing to collaborate with Sri Lanka and highlighted areas where support could be extended, including improving the nutritional needs of children and women in the country, and the use of new digital tools to uplift the agricultural sector.

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya appreciated the efforts of the Gates Foundation in addressing malnutrition by promoting maternal and child nutrition across Asian countries, including Sri Lanka and further discussed the contribution of the foundation to advancing digital technological development in the region.

While presenting the Gates Foundation representatives about government programs on provision of mid-day meals in schools to fulfill the nutritional needs of children, the Prime Minister expressed the need of their maximum support in meeting the nutritional needs of the children of the nation.

Further, the Prime Minister briefed the Gates Foundation representatives on the operations of the Digital Education Task Force, which was established under the patronage of the Secretary to the Prime Minister to integrate digital technology into teaching, learning, assessment, and education administration as part of the country’s new digital transformation in education.

The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of the Gates Foundation’s support and contribution to both the Digital Education Task Force and the upcoming education reforms set to commence in 2026.

Representatives of the Gates Foundation assured the Prime Minister of their commitment to supporting and partnering with relevant stakeholders in education reform and task force initiatives.

The event was attended by the secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatte, Regional Representative for Policy and Government Relations of the Gates Foundation Dr. Jamal Khan, Director and Program Advisor of the Gates Foundation Ms. Archana Vyas, along with other members of the Foundation.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

The first awareness programme on the proposed education reforms, scheduled to be implemented from the year 2026, was held on July 11 at the Parliament under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

During the session, Members of Parliament were briefed on key aspects including the objectives and goals of the new reforms, the guiding principles behind the reforms, the main pillars of the reformed education system, curriculum revisions, implementation procedures, and teacher training.

Clarifications were also provided on how the new education reforms will be implemented and monitored by the Ministry of Education, the National Institute of Education, and the National Education Commission.

Further, the discussion highlighted on the primary aim of the new education reforms is to lay a strong foundation for creating a citizen capable of facing the challenges of the 21st century and beyond. It also aims to engage new citizens in the process of sustainable national development and peace building.

Following the initial presentation on educational reforms, Members of Parliament shared their views and proposed new suggestions related to the reforms. Special attention was given to the importance and necessity of ensuring this educational transformation also addresses the needs of children with special needs and disabilities.

The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Madura Seneviratne, Members of Parliament, Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education Mr. Nalaka Kaluwawa, Vice Chairman of the National Education Commission Mr. Tilak Dharmaratne, and other officials from the Ministry of Education, National Institute of Education, and the National Education Commission.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated as the Chief Guest at the inauguration ceremony of the international conference titled “Nourishing South Asia” on 9th of July which being held from July 9 to 11 at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo, with the aim of reducing anemia among young women and children in South Asia

Addressing the event, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

First of all, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the organizing committee for inviting me to a conference of such regional significance. The goal of this conference is ’to build a South Asia where no adolescent girl or woman suffers from preventable anemia, and to remain committed to that cause.’ In order to achieve this goal, we must ensure that every girl has access to nutritious food, health education, and quality care. At the same time, we must create an environment that enables women to realize their full potential and empowers them to do so.

This aim cannot be accomplished alone by the government itself. That is why this conference is designed to be a platform for renewed commitment and practical action from all sectors of society that support and strengthen our shared goal.

Addressing further, Prime Minister stated that the issue of anemia among adolescent girls and women is a serious concern, but not something that cannot be solved. Through renewed commitment, regional cooperation, and collective action, we can nourish future generations across South Asia and we can build a healthier, more equitable society by breaking the cycle of undernutrition. This is both the hope and belief of myself and our government. I would also like to reiterate here that as a government, we are fully committed to this cause. Our nutrition program, which targets schoolchildren, aims to ensure they receive adequate nutrition and are protected from malnutrition.

I look forward with great expectation to the fruitful discussions, valuable exchanges of ideas, and practical commitments that will emerge from this conference.

I would like to propose this vision that let us unite as a region and pledge our dedication to reducing and eliminating anemia among women and girls through strong regional collaboration. By nurturing our women and young girls, we can nourish the entire South Asian region.

I hope that while experiencing the warm hospitality and unique beauty of our lovely country, your stay here will be both professionally fulfilling and personally memorable.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya was welcomed by Rini Simon Khanna, and joined by regional dignitaries and the evet was participated by Md. Golam Sarwar (SAARC), Sanjay Wijesekera (UNICEF), and other active members.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Let us all strive to create a space where language does not create dividing, but rather a medium that unites all individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that following the policy statement “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life”, national policies must be implemented in such a way that every citizen can access essential services in their respective mother tongues as well as in sign language.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the closing ceremony of the National Languages Week "Path to Reconciliation", organized by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, held at the Sri Lanka Foundation on 07th of July.

The National Languages Week, held under the theme “Talk Together – Live Together”, commenced on 01st of July, marking the National Languages Day, and continued for seven days and the closing ceremony was held under the participation of the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Minister of Justice and National Integration, Mr. Harsha Nanayakkara.

Delivering further remarks at the event, the Prime Minister stated:

National Languages Week is not just a time to focus on and acknowledge language policy but also it highlights the critical role of the language that fosters identity, respect, and in building a peaceful society that brings all people together.

If certain communities feel that they do not have the opportunity to communicate in their own language at crucial institutions like courts, police stations, schools, state institutions, or administrative offices, then this is not merely an issue of service delivery. In such circumstances, people may genuinely begin to feel that they are excluded. Therefore, it is essential to ensure equal linguistic rights and dignity for all ethnic groups.

Therefore, we must create schools where Sinhala and Tamil students can learn each other’s languages, hospitals where patients can express their symptoms in the language they feel most comfortable in and receive respectful care, and a justice system where citizens can seek justice in a language they understand.

These are not luxury privileges but fundamental conditions that should practically exist in a society rooted in harmony.

Accordingly, the new educational reforms beginning in 2026 will incorporate teaching methods that emphasize the importance of all languages in the country and highlight language as something beyond just a subject. That is why such reforms have been introduced.

Addressing the event, Minister of Justice and National Unity Mr. Harsha Nanayakkara said:

Even though we may not share the same past, we certainly share a common future that we can build together. On this National Languages Day, let us all commit ourselves to building a Sri Lanka that thrives on genuine reconciliation and vibrant unity.

At the closing ceremony of National Languages Week, awards and certificates were presented by the Prime Minister to the winners of the model essay competition held at school level by the Official Languages Commission, and to those who passed the National Language Proficiency Examinations conducted by the Department of Official Languages.

The event was attended by the High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Deputy Minister of National Integration Mr. Muneer Mulaffar, Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration President’s Counsel Ayesha Jinadasa, along with other state and diplomatic officials, students, and the general public.

Prime Minister’s Media Division