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 March 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister presented regulations under Section 71 of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2469/02, and moved that they be referred to the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which was agreed to. She also tabled a presidential proclamation under the Essential Public Services Act and indicated she would check whether the regulations should also be referred to the Committee on Public Finance if that is the established practice. Papers: Regulations, Reports and Orders Tabled Parliamentary Procedure Read →
19 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister stated that the matter raised did not constitute a specific policy question and that NMRA and public finance rules are not affected by internal party arrangements. She indicated that no further response was warranted, before the proceedings moved to Question No. 353/2024 on drinking water facilities in the Porativu Pattu and Manmunai Pattu Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Batticaloa. Oral Question: Members of Current Parliament - Salaries and Allowances (Q.117/2024) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
19 February 2026 AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya responded to a question about the financial affairs of Government MPs by stating that the JVP/NPP has maintained transparent party accounts and suggested that the SJB, UNP and SLPP should provide similar transparency on party funding and expenditure. She said individual MPs’ personal financial arrangements vary and that the matter raised had no specific relevance to Government policy. Oral Question: Members of Current Parliament - Salaries and Allowances (Q.117/2024) Corruption & Governance ReformParliamentary Procedure Read →
19 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister provided details of current Members of Parliament and the allowances payable to them, laying relevant annexes in the Library. She listed monthly, sitting, committee, office, transport, telephone, driver and fuel allowances, explaining that fuel allowance is calculated by distance or a fixed basis for National List MPs. She also stated that Hon. Nayana Wasalathilake has stopped receiving salary and allowances from August 2025, and that several parliamentary office-bearers and ministers have notified that they do not draw the fuel allowance. Oral Question: Members of Current Parliament - Salaries and Allowances (Q.117/2024) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
19 February 2026 AI summary Presented the Report on the Deviation of Headline Inflation from the Inflation Target under the Monetary Policy Framework Agreement for the second and third quarters of 2025. She moved that the report be referred to the Committee on Public Finance, and the motion was agreed to. Opening and Auditor-General's Report Public Finance Read →
18 February 2026 AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya welcomed the motion and said Sri Lanka’s improved Corruption Perceptions Index ranking, from 121 in 2024 to 107 in 2025, reflected progress but not completion in building a rules-based state free of bribery and corruption. She attributed the improvement to recent institutional and legislative reforms, including the Anti-Corruption Act, the Proceeds of Crime Act, stronger CIABOC enforcement, asset declaration measures, online complaint and declaration systems, and implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan 2025–2029. She said further strengthening of CIABOC required parliamentary approval of staff remuneration under the Anti-Corruption Act, which would be brought to the House after Cabinet approval. Adjournment: State Free from Corruption, Bribery and Fraud Corruption & Governance Reform Read →
18 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education presented the 2024 Annual Report of the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka and the 2024 Annual Report and Accounts of the Postgraduate Institute of English of the Open University of Sri Lanka. She moved that both reports be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, and the motion was agreed to. Opening and Papers Parliamentary ProcedureEducation Read →
17 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister outlined the statutory composition and 2025 membership of the President’s Fund Board of Governors and stated that, following a Board decision on 10 February 2026, medical grant ceilings had been increased to cover approximately 25 per cent of surgery or treatment costs. She detailed service reforms effective from 7 February 2025, including decentralized applications through Divisional Secretariats, digitization, a simplified form, easier certification, representative filing, revised income assessment, and a public hotline. She also listed transparency measures such as online processing, Audit and Management Committee meetings, Auditor-General audits tabled in Parliament, website publication of tariffs and guidelines, RTI responses, and annual activity planning. Additionally, she announced that the deadline for graduate recruitment applications and the qualifying degree date had been extended to 5 March 2026 with Cabinet approval. Adjournment Questions HealthcarePublic Finance Read →
17 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education requested two weeks’ time to respond to the question. The question was accordingly ordered to stand down. Oral Question: Stand Down (Q.3/2025) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
17 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister presented annual reports from several higher education institutions, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation entities, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and moved that they be referred to the relevant Sectoral Oversight Committees. She also presented an Order under Section 22 of the Foreign Exchange Act, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2467/67 of 18 December 2025, and moved that it be referred to the Committee on Public Finance. All motions were agreed to. Papers: Annual Reports and Committee Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister, in response to questions on official vehicles and fuel allowances, stated that no official vehicle or fuel allowance was provided to the former Minister of City Planning and Water Supply between 29 October and 15 December 2018. She further informed the House that the Minister of National Dialogue appointed in September 2015 was allocated three official vehicles, with four used in certain months, and that their details, periods of use, and monthly fuel expenditure were tabled in annexes. She said the fuel entitlement was 750 litres for petrol vehicles and 600 litres for diesel vehicles, and noted that alternative vehicles were provided when allocated vehicles were under repair. Questions: Official Vehicles Allocated to Ministers (2015-2018) Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister stated that Ministry records show no fuel allowances were paid to the Minister of City Planning and Water Supply for November and December 2018. She added that Transport Division files contain no record of official vehicles being allocated during that period, including from 29 October to 15 December 2018, so related follow-up details were not applicable. Questions: Official Vehicles Allocated to Ministers (2015-2018) Public Finance Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary Three vehicles were allocated to the relevant office from 9 September 2015 to 26 October 2018: two Land Rover Discovery vehicles and one Toyota Hilux. Each vehicle was entitled to 600 litres of diesel for use outside the province, with further details tabled in an annex placed in the Library. The question of part (c) was stated to be not applicable. Questions: Official Vehicles Allocated to Ministers (2015-2018) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary The Prime Minister, responding as Minister of Education, provided records on official vehicles allocated to the former Minister of City Planning and Water Supply from 21 September 2015, identifying a Nissan Teana car and a Toyota Hilux double cab. She stated the monthly fuel entitlements under a 2010 Presidential Circular and tabled available fuel expenditure figures for 2015 and 2018, while noting that records for 2016–2017 and some litre-based details were unavailable. Questions: Official Vehicles Allocated to Ministers (2015-2018) Public Finance Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya supported extending the emergency regulations following Cyclone “Ditwah,” citing severe damage to roads, bridges, schools and housing, increased landslide risk, and the need to maintain essential services through an Essential Services Commissioner General. She said a task force chaired by her, with subcommittees and a foreign aid coordination mechanism, had been established to manage recovery and allocate resources. She rejected Opposition claims that the emergency had been used to suppress media, protests, or make certain arrests, and asked for specific evidence. She also stated that education reforms were continuing, with only the Grade 6 subject stream rollout deferred to 2027, and provided progress figures on relief payments to affected children, families of the deceased, and other beneficiaries. Debate: Extension of Emergency Regulations (Cyclone Ditwah) InfrastructureEducationCost of Living Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that parliamentary scheduling would return to normal to avoid clashes with religious observances. She said all children of Aswesuma beneficiaries receive stationery allowances, and that a pilot programme to provide locally manufactured shoes would run in two provinces in 2026, with possible expansion if successful and cost-effective. She added that Grade 5 Scholarship beneficiaries would be eligible for shoe vouchers from 2026, with the Government aiming to better identify and expand support for children in need. Ministry Statements: University Vacancies and Educational Opportunities EducationCost of Living Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary Several welfare programmes for schoolchildren are in place, including textbooks, uniforms, Suraksha insurance, sanitary pad vouchers, midday meals, and targeted vouchers, with Rs. 57.2 billion allocated in 2025 and beneficiary data being improved. The 2025 GCE Ordinary Level Examination will be held from 17 to 26 February 2026 despite overlapping with Ramadan, following consultations with Eastern Province education officials, ACJU representatives, and the Examinations Department. The Minister stated that postponement would disrupt the return to the regular examination calendar, under which Grade 5 Scholarship and A/L examinations are to be held in August and O/L examinations in December from 2026 onward. Ministry Statements: University Vacancies and Educational Opportunities Education Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary The Secretary to the Ministry of Education has instructed schools or institutions not to collect the funds in question. Addressing the Wickramarachchi Faculty decision, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said the action was based on a UGC-appointed committee report identifying violations of UGC procedures in launching programmes, and argued that corrective steps are necessary where such violations have caused injustice to students. Ministry Statements: University Vacancies and Educational Opportunities Education Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said corrective action is being taken at Gampaha Wickramarachchi University following a UGC-appointed expert committee report, after programmes had been opened without proper approvals and students were left vulnerable, stressing that the process is not political. She stated that around 1,500 smart boards are being distributed this year to secondary schools under a circular, and that parents should not be asked to contribute money for them. She also said curriculum decisions are made by experts, with technology introduced in Grades 1–5 in an age-appropriate, integrated manner rather than as a separate ICT subject. Ministry Statements: University Vacancies and Educational Opportunities Education Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya welcomed the Leader of the Opposition’s stated support for free education, while noting it differed from the position of his former political tradition. She said many issues raised were outside the scope of the Question and requested that questions not be based on social media claims. She stated that there was no decision to curtail free education or to close the Faculty of Dental Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Ministry Statements: University Vacancies and Educational Opportunities Education Read →