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

21 March 2025 AI summary At the Committee Stage of the Appropriation Bill, 2025, Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya moved an amendment to Programme 02 under Head 240. No further details of the amendment or its rationale were provided in the excerpt. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Parliamentary Procedure Read →
21 March 2025 AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister moved a Committee Stage amendment to the Appropriation Bill, 2025, relating to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The amendment proposed allocations of Rs. 471,574,100,000 for recurrent expenditure and Rs. 189,403,400,000 for capital expenditure. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading Public Finance Read →
20 March 2025 AI summary Moved that Parliament adjourn. Adjournment Parliamentary Procedure Read →
20 March 2025 AI summary Moved the approval of several finance-related regulations, orders and notifications made by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, including measures under the Finance Act, Inland Revenue Act, Regulation of Insurance Industry Act, Imports and Exports (Control) Act, Excise Ordinance, Excise (Special Provisions) Act, and Special Commodity Levy Act. The motions included approval of a protocol amending Sri Lanka’s double taxation agreement with India and several Gazette-published instruments from late 2024 and early 2025, all of which had Cabinet approval and were agreed to by Parliament. A motion was also initiated concerning the 2021 Annual Report of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. Papers Presented: Finance Act Regulation and Annual Reports Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
20 March 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister said the inaugural NPP Government’s Budget had been shaped by a month of consultations with unions, institutions, associations and the public, and argued that many Opposition criticisms repeated misrepresentations rather than engaging with policy. She framed the Budget as part of a broader “system change” intended to reduce privilege and patronage, support ethical entrepreneurs and public servants, and expand opportunities for women, persons with disabilities, youth and underserved communities. On youth employment, she said the Government was replacing patronage-based job allocation with pathways to meaningful work, but noted delays due to legal barriers and pending court-related issues arising from previous decisions. She thanked the President, Finance Ministry officials, State Ministers and others involved in preparing and refining the Budget under challenging conditions. Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Corruption & Governance ReformEmploymentPublic Finance Read →
20 March 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister tabled an answer stating that the President’s Fund office was located in the Lake House building until 31 December 2024 and has since been relocated to the Standard Chartered Bank Building. She reported that the previous monthly cost at Lake House was Rs. 1,507,227.19, including rent, electricity and water, and that no additional monthly expenditure is incurred at the new premises because it uses unused space in a building already rented by the Presidential Secretariat since 2006. Oral Questions 2-5: Second Round (Multiple Questions) Public Finance Read →
19 March 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education presented the 2023 Annual Report of the University of Vocational Technology. She moved that the report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, and the motion was agreed to. Tabling of Annual Reports EducationParliamentary Procedure Read →
18 March 2025 AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya stated that public sector appointments, including teacher recruitment, are being made according to established criteria, Public Service Commission procedures, and identified vacancies, rather than arbitrarily. She said nearly 10,000 appointments have already been made and a committee under the Secretary to the Prime Minister is coordinating further recruitment. Regarding 20,000–25,000 education sector vacancies, she said recruitment is delayed by a pending Supreme Court case, and the Government will proceed if the Court permits after the Attorney-General presents the Cabinet decision at the next hearing. Oral Question under Standing Order 27(2): Export of Sri Lanka's Textiles and Apparels and Ministerial Clarifications Public FinanceParliamentary ProcedureEducation Read →
18 March 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister responded to a Standing Order 27(2) question on education expenditure, graduate employability and unemployment, stating that per-student expenditure is not separately maintained for primary and secondary levels, while tertiary costs vary significantly by discipline. She noted that no comprehensive official study exists on exact annual per-student costs across all education levels, and that national graduate employment data are incomplete, though 2022 tracer data show differing employment rates across fields. She outlined measures including university career guidance programmes, industry linkages, skills training, labour forecasting, expansion of vocational and technological education, and recruitment of 35,000 graduates to existing vacancies, with Rs. 10,000 million additionally allocated and teacher recruitment subject to a pending Supreme Court case. Oral Question under Standing Order 27(2): Export of Sri Lanka's Textiles and Apparels and Ministerial Clarifications EducationPublic Finance Read →
15 March 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister explained that a project to procure 1,000 smart boards using Telecommunications Regulatory Commission funds was intended to integrate with a proposed Chinese-supported school digitization project covering a centralized control room, studio, and 500 additional boards. She stated that the procurement proceeded rapidly in 2024 using unofficial specifications and a single-supplier process, costing Rs. 1.7 billion plus about Rs. 430 million in service and installation charges, while the Chinese component remains unfinalized. The equipment is currently stored at Pattalagedara Teachers’ Training College because it cannot be used for its intended networked purpose until the Chinese-supported facilities are agreed and implemented. She said a formal investigation has begun into possible financial or procedural irregularities, and discussions continue with China to secure the remaining facilities. Ministerial Statement: Provision of Smart Boards and Equipment for Schools EducationPublic FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
14 March 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister, as Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, presented the 2023 Annual Report of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka. She moved that the report be referred to the relevant Sectoral Oversight Committee, and the motion was agreed to. Tabling of Annual Reports EducationParliamentary Procedure Read →
12 March 2025 AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, responding under Standing Order 27(2), provided student and staff figures for the institution and said it currently has 469 local students, one foreign student, and 25 staff vacancies. She stated that academic activities were suspended for internal students from 19 July 2024 due to ragging-related incidents involving senior monk-students and subsequent disciplinary action, including barring ten students from classes, followed by a temporary closure after an examination boycott. She said the situation was not due to institutional inefficiency, and that discussions with monk-students had produced agreement to restart academic activities on 15 March 2025 and remove temporary structures. She added that reported issues in the online second-semester examinations would be considered during evaluation and that examinations would resume after reopening. Question by Private Notice: Reopening of Bhiksu University of Sri Lanka Education Read →
12 March 2025 AI summary The Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education presented the 2023 annual reports and accounts of the University of Jaffna, the Open University of Sri Lanka, and the University of Colombo School of Computing. She moved that the reports be referred to the relevant Sectoral Oversight Committee, and the House agreed. Opening and Papers Presented EducationParliamentary Procedure Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary An amendment was moved to Expenditure Head 126 to revise allocations for Programme 01, Operational Activities, and Programme 02, Development Activities. The proposed changes would increase recurrent expenditure by Rs. 1.2 billion and capital expenditure by Rs. 700 million to implement Budget Proposal Nos. 15, 26, 44 and 46. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Public Finance Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary An amendment was moved at the Committee Stage of the 2025 Budget on behalf of the Minister of Finance to revise the allocations for the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. The proposed figures were Rs. 207.2 billion for recurrent expenditure and Rs. 65.7 billion for capital expenditure. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Public Finance Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said the Government is pursuing education reforms collectively while addressing inherited unfinished projects, corruption, and weakened institutions. She corrected the Opposition’s claim on education spending, stating that the current allocation is 1.9 per cent of GDP for the remaining eight months of the year, with a progressive target of reaching 6 per cent alongside improved system capacity. She outlined plans for public service salary increases, greater transparency in Vice-Chancellor appointments, systematic expansion of English-medium education, reform of the Grade 5 Scholarship Exam by 2028 to reduce pressure, and the development of two years of early childhood education in coordination with the relevant ministry. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Education Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary The Hon. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the request raised by the Member would be referred to the University Grants Commission. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Harini Amarasuriya intervened procedurally to request that the Hon. Member be allowed to continue speaking. No substantive policy position or proposal was raised. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Parliamentary Procedure Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary Harini Amarasuriya acknowledged the importance of education and thanked the Member for raising the issues. She stated that the request regarding the UGC examination had been referred to the University Grants Commission, which was due to meet the following day to seek a resolution, and undertook to keep the Member informed. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Education Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya paid tribute to the late Dr. Janaki Jayawardena and linked her role in the FUTA struggle to the need for wider social engagement on education reform. Presenting the 2025 education allocation of Rs. 619 billion, including Rs. 21 billion for capital expenditure, she outlined five reform pillars: curriculum renewal, capacity building for education personnel, infrastructure improvements including sanitation and unfinished school projects, strengthened assessment through the Examinations Department, and social dialogue. She said priority would be given to improving National Colleges of Education, faculties of education, school facilities—especially in estate areas—and higher education quality and student welfare, rather than politically driven expansion without adequate standards or resources. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Education Read →