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Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Friday, 5 December 2025

10th Parliament· 18 debates· 213 speeches· 92 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23059 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

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

  5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Development Officers Attached to National Schools and Provincial Schools (Q.1309/2025) 12 speeches
    • The Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi JJB

      AI summary Chandana Sooriyaarachchi asked the Prime Minister and Minister of Education for details on Development Officers attached to national and provincial schools, including total numbers and year-by-year appointments. He sought clarification on whether these officers could receive relief or consideration in filling teacher vacancies, and asked about the status and outcome of the Supreme Court case concerning the competitive examination for recruiting teachers to government schools.

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

      AI summary Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya provided figures on Development Officers attached to National and Provincial Council schools, stating that 2,939 were assigned to National Schools and 20,102 to Provincial Council schools, with about 1,992 currently serving in National Schools after transfers and releases. She said Development Officers may enter the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service in accordance with judicial orders and the Teachers’ Service Minute. She explained that recruitment examinations had been delayed due to Supreme Court and Court of Appeal proceedings, but following Cabinet approval and the conclusion of the Court of Appeal matter on 20 November 2025, recruitment to Grade 3-I (a) with revised age limits and separate examinations would proceed.

      Public FinanceEducation Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi JJB

      AI summary Chandana Sooriyaarachchi asked whether graduates recruited as Development Officers and attached to national and provincial schools after 2012 under the Unified Service could be given a special opportunity for absorption into the Teachers’ Service. He noted that earlier cohorts attached in 1999 and 2005 as Development Assistants, Development Programme Assistants and Finance Assistants had been directly absorbed by 2007 under previous ministerial arrangements.

      EmploymentEducation Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary Direct absorption into the teachers’ service is not available due to Public Service Commission guidelines and Supreme Court judgments. Litigation-related constraints have been addressed through the Cabinet process, and recruitment will proceed by competitive examination under the Teachers’ Service Minute and PSC recommendations, with the age limit extended to 45 as permitted by the Supreme Court.

      Justice & Human RightsEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi JJB

      AI summary Hon. Chandana Sooriyaarachchi asked whether Development Officers who have served in schools and taught for around 12 years since 2013 could receive special consideration in the teacher selection process, while maintaining fairness for all graduates. He noted their classroom experience and thanked the authorities for efforts to fill teacher vacancies quickly.

      EmploymentEducation Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary Recruitment will include an interview after the examination as a second stage. School-based experience, including service by Development Officers functioning as teachers, will be credited, and candidates will make a presentation on the role and functioning of a teacher in a school.

      EmploymentEducation Full speech →
    • The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB

      AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva asked the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education to provide detailed information on students with disabilities enrolled in State universities, including numbers by university and disability type. He also sought clarification on admission methodology, any quota system, steps to update and streamline enrolment, and whether inclusive study methods have been implemented. The question further requested details on whether students with disabilities can choose any subject stream, what streams they currently follow, and reasons for any limitations or non-selection of certain streams.

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

      AI summary The Prime Minister provided details on university students with disabilities, noting UGC categories for visually impaired students and students with physical disabilities, recent admission numbers, and the absence of a dedicated disability enrolment mechanism at the Buddhist and Pali University. She explained the UGC’s special admission channel, including stream placements, severity-based assessment for physical disabilities, and Arts placements for Braille candidates, while noting there is no separate quota beyond this scheme. She stated that inclusive support measures are handled by individual universities and that the UGC plans to expand access to additional degree programmes from the 2024 A/L intake and to all first degree programmes from the 2025 A/L intake, subject to relevant approvals.

      Education Full speech →
    • The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB

      AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva welcomed measures to admit students with disabilities and provide courses and learning support. He asked whether facilities and human-resource units similar to the centre at the University of Colombo would be established in other universities to support inclusive education.

      Education Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that the Government would establish support units for students with disabilities in universities in a phased manner. She said universities must be equipped not only to admit such students but also to provide ongoing support, including necessary equipment and devices funded through allocated resources.

      Justice & Human RightsEducation Full speech →
    • The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB

      AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva raised concerns about students facing barriers to education due to lack of accessible instructional mediums, such as Braille and sign language, and inadequate physical access to campuses and hostels. He asked what measures the Ministry and the University Grants Commission would take to address these accessibility issues.

      Education Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya JJB

      AI summary The Minister stated that the Ministry and UGC are preparing guidelines and minimum standards to support the disability-admissions policy, including accessibility requirements for new buildings. She said directions have been issued to ensure future actions comply with the policy and that comprehensive guidelines will be finalized within the next year.

      EducationJustice & Human Rights Full speech →