Sitting of Tuesday, 18 February 2025

Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

1. 1 Opening Parliament Opening and Speaker's Certificate 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Tabling of Annual Reports and Ministerial Consultative Committee Referrals 3 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions 6 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question No. 1 (98/2024): Sale of Petroleum by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation 8 speeches ▸
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question No. 4 (247/2024): Teacher Attachments and Transfers 7 speeches ▾
   • Mr. Speaker procedural
     Full speech →
   • Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

     AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake asked the Prime Minister and Minister of Education whether she is aware that teachers from provincial council schools have been attached to National Schools. He sought clarification on whether those attachments will not be extended and, if so, how the resulting teacher vacancies in National Schools will be addressed.

     EducationEmployment Full speech →
   • Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB

     AI summary The Prime Minister, as Minister of Education, confirmed that temporary teacher attachments are used between National and Provincial Schools to address staffing shortages. She stated that a 14 July 2023 circular directed Zonal Directors to make such attachments based on Subject Directors’ recommendations, including moving excess teachers to schools with subject shortages, and said the remaining parts of the question were not applicable.

     Education Full speech →
   • Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

     AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised concerns about teacher shortages in key subjects at Badulla Central College and other Provincial Schools, noting that temporary teacher attachments within the Province had previously helped address such gaps. He said this practice had been stopped by a circular issued during the previous period and asked that it be reconsidered. He also pointed out that newly qualified teacher training college graduates are awaiting appointments.

     Education Full speech →
   • Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB

     AI summary Teacher vacancies in National Schools could not be filled for some time due to a pending court case, and Provincial-to-National School attachments were used as an interim measure. The issue has now been resolved, and the Government plans to fill most subject-specific shortages this year, including by appointing graduates passing out from colleges of education.

     EducationEmployment Full speech →
   • Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

     AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised concerns about teacher transfer practices, alleging that some unions had undue influence over placements and that certain teachers in National and city schools had remained in the same posts for 20 to 30 years, with some reportedly not teaching. He requested that future teacher transfers ensure a fair redistribution of staff, including moving long-serving teachers from the same schools to other placements.

     EducationEmployment Full speech →
   • Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB

     AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that teacher transfers are carried out by the Teachers’ Transfer Board, with union representation but not union control. She said current issues in transfers are not solely due to unions but also reflect political interference, and noted that union leaders had told her this year’s transfer appointments were handled properly and independently because she did not intervene. She emphasized that her role is to ensure the Transfer Board functions independently.

     EducationCorruption & Governance Reform Full speech →
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question No. 2 (112/2024): Bingiriya Export Processing Zone 3 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question No. 3 (133/2024): Justice and National Integration Matter 3 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Question No. 4 (247/2024): COVID-19 Clinical Practice Guidelines 2 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Question by Private Notice: Recent Islandwide Power Outage 13 speeches ▸
10. 10 Debate Adjourned Debate on Second Reading of the 2025 Budget 75 speeches ▸
11. 11 Adjournment Adjournment Debate: Additional Building for Meelad Vidyalaya, Dehiwala 11 speeches ▸
12. 12 Procedural Hansard Editorial Notes and Publication Information 3 speeches ▸