Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· Colombo

Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

Profession: University Lecturer

Roster profile ↗

Speeches 536 #7 of 225·#3 in party

Attendance 4/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

536 speeches

3 June 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya responded that the Sri Lanka-German Technical Training Institute in Kilinochchi has not been granted autonomy and currently operates under the Colombo CGTTI framework, which the Government says preserves recognized certification standards. She provided student enrolment figures by ethnicity and NVQ level, outlined the courses offered and admission procedures, and noted that legal amendments would be required to make the institute autonomous under Act No. 15 of 2017. She said student welfare, hostel facilities, infrastructure and staffing issues had been identified, with funds allocated in Budget 2025 and further allocations planned for Budget 2026 to improve facilities and complete hostel construction, while recruitment proposals are under consideration. Private Notice Question: Sri Lanka-German Technical Training Institute Autonomous Status InfrastructureEducationPublic Finance Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary Due to contract-related issues, the relevant matters must be resolved and Cabinet approval obtained before proceeding. The stated objective is to complete as many of the affected projects as possible within the year. Oral Question: Kuliyapitiya Central College Function Hall (Q.801/2025) Infrastructure Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary Thousands of school infrastructure projects are reported to be incomplete, poorly executed, or halted, indicating a systemic issue rather than isolated failures. The priority identified is to complete such works to ensure children’s safety and school functionality, while also pursuing action over losses and non-performance across the system. Oral Question: Kuliyapitiya Central College Function Hall (Q.801/2025) Justice & Human RightsPublic FinanceEducation Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary A response was provided to Question 801/2025 on the auditorium at Kuliyapitiya Central College, clarifying that it is not a large function hall and that the Ministry of Education has spent Rs. 206,177,622.83 to date. For partially completed “Nearest School, Best School” projects with legal complications, the matter will be referred for a Cabinet decision before further action is taken. The remaining cost has not yet been calculated and will depend on decisions regarding contract termination and a technical assessment, including the air-conditioning system. Oral Question: Kuliyapitiya Central College Function Hall (Q.801/2025) Education Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary Only 23 schools have been formally gazetted as National Schools so far. The minister stated that the remaining schools are under review and that the Government will not make arbitrary changes to school classifications, adding that well-run Provincial schools will be supported within their existing structure through systematic intervention. Oral Question: National Schools Distribution and Development (Q.381/2025) Education Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary The Minister stated that there is no current plan to return the schools in question to Provincial administration. She said many schools had been designated as National Schools without a corresponding development programme, and that the Government has identified them and is using budgetary allocations to upgrade them to the required standards. Oral Question: National Schools Distribution and Development (Q.381/2025) Education Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya briefly corrected or indicated the number “twenty-three” in response to an Hon. Member. No substantive policy position, proposal, or legislative argument was made. Oral Question: National Schools Distribution and Development (Q.381/2025) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary In response to Question 381/2025, the Prime Minister provided data on National Schools and Provincial Council schools, including provincial distribution and numbers of students, teachers, and non-academic staff, with annexes placed in the Library. She stated that the previous Government converted 23 Provincial Council schools into National Schools. She also outlined development measures for those schools, including repairs, quality input grants, demolition of unsafe structures, sanitation improvements, safety measures, provision of furniture and equipment, and related infrastructure works. Oral Question: National Schools Distribution and Development (Q.381/2025) EducationPublic Finance Read →
3 June 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister presented several statutory instruments, including a Stamp Duty order and two Imports and Exports Control regulations issued by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and moved that they be referred to the Committee on Public Finance; the motion was agreed to. She also tabled an order under the Universities Act establishing the Institute of Allergology and Immunology of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, along with a note on supplementary allocations under the 2025 Appropriation Act. Papers Presented: Orders, Regulations, Reports and Gazette Parliamentary Procedure Read →
23 May 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that addressing teacher shortages requires both long-term recruitment and training, noting that producing a qualified teacher takes three to four years. She said online and blended learning could be used as an interim measure while sufficient teachers are trained and deployed. Oral Question 6: Compulsory Teaching of Languages in Schools (Q.222/2024) Education Read →
23 May 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that, while education reforms aim to reduce students’ subject load, learning each other’s languages remains essential. She said the Government is moving to make relevant language subjects compulsory from Grades 6 to 9 and to promote language and cultural learning outside the classroom through joint activities among Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim children, ideally from Grades 1 to 13. Oral Question 6: Compulsory Teaching of Languages in Schools (Q.222/2024) Ethnic Reconciliation & DevolutionEducation Read →
23 May 2025 AI summary Sinhala is currently taught as a second language to Tamil-medium students and Tamil to Sinhala-medium students from Grades 6 to 9, with optional second-language subjects available in Grades 10 and 11. Curriculum reform beginning with Grade 6 in 2026 will continue this approach, while as of 31 December 2024 there were 820 vacancies for Second Language Sinhala teachers and 2,099 for Second Language Tamil teachers. The reply states that National Diploma in Education holders are being recruited to address these gaps, with appointments effective from 2 May 2025 including 95 Sinhala and 69 Tamil second-language teachers, and future intake adjustments at National Colleges of Education to be considered. Oral Question 6: Compulsory Teaching of Languages in Schools (Q.222/2024) Education Read →
23 May 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya presented the Financial Statements and Operations of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka for 2024 to Parliament. She moved that the documents be referred to the Committee on Public Finance, and the motion was agreed to. Papers: Financial Statements of Central Bank and Committee Report on Foreign Loans (Repeal) Bill Public Finance Read →
22 May 2025 AI summary The Minister stated that arrears in Mahapola scholarship payments that had been outstanding for months have now been settled, though there is a slight delay for the newly enrolled batch. She said the Government is working with the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund to establish a fixed payment date for future disbursements. Oral Question: University Hostels and Student Allowances (Q.8/2025) EducationPublic Finance Read →
22 May 2025 AI summary There is a severe shortage of hostel facilities across State universities due to past decisions not to build new hostels despite increased student intake and expanded faculties and departments. A space audit has been conducted to identify university buildings that can be converted into hostels, and the UGC has submitted a plan through Vice-Chancellors to the Ministry for implementation. The issue was described as particularly acute outside Colombo, including at the Kilinochchi campus, where lack of accommodation affects students’ ability to attend. Oral Question: University Hostels and Student Allowances (Q.8/2025) InfrastructureEducation Read →
22 May 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that Sinhala-medium courses at Vavuniya College had been stopped after 2016 due to rationalization and teacher shortages in the war context. She said the Government has intervened and plans to reintroduce Sinhala-medium courses from the next intake, beginning where possible with primary teacher training. Oral Question: Teachers' Colleges Training Programme (Q.2/2025) EducationEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Read →
22 May 2025 AI summary There are eight Teachers’ Colleges in Sri Lanka, and the Government plans to further develop them as centres for continuous teacher training rather than close them. The Prime Minister stated that Teachers’ Colleges will be integrated with nearby National Colleges of Education to increase student intake and residential capacity, with an intended intake of 2,175 and hostel capacity expansion to 766 supported by Budget allocations. She also said short-term residential courses for teacher capacity development will be conducted through Teachers’ Colleges during the year. Oral Question: Teachers' Colleges Training Programme (Q.2/2025) Education Read →
21 May 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya provided figures on teacher vacancies by medium and grade level nationally, in the Western Province, and in the Colombo Education Zone. She stated that appointments to Grade 3-1(a) of the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service had been granted effective 2 May 2025 to National College of Education diploma holders from the 2020–2022 batch. She further noted that recruitments to fill remaining vacancies are ongoing, but recruitment processes under the 2024 estate-sector Tamil-medium gazette and the 2023 graduate recruitment gazette are delayed due to pending court orders, with further action to follow after the cases are concluded. Oral Question: Sinhala and Tamil-Medium Government Schools - Teacher Vacancies (Q.4/2025) EmploymentEducation Read →
21 May 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister, as Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, tabled the 2022 Annual Report and Annual Financial Statement of the Institute of Resource Development of the University of Colombo. She proposed that the report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Labour Force and Human Resources Development, and the House agreed. Papers - Annual Reports Tabling Parliamentary ProcedureEducation Read →
20 May 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister outlined problems in intermediate-grade admissions to National Schools, noting that high demand and Cabinet-authorized exceptions had led to admissions beyond vacancies and class-size limits. She said this had caused overcrowding, reduced opportunities for Grade 5 Scholarship entrants, complicated staff transfers, contributed to complaints and investigations, and widened inequities between popular National Schools and other schools. She proposed revising admission authority and circulars to prohibit admissions without vacancies or beyond maximum class sizes, establish fair and transparent criteria with limited hardship exceptions, and pursue broader reforms including improved resources and expanded bilingual education. Standing Order 27(2) Matter: Public Security and Gang Violence; Special Statement on Tamil Genocide Memorial Corruption & Governance ReformEducation Read →