The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, Government Members have clearly explained the objectives of the Universities (Amendment) Bill. This is not to politicize or shrink democratic space; in fact, the opposite. Some points raised by the Opposition are already included in the Committee Stage amendments we will bring.

¶ 02 There has been a long discourse behind this. The FUTA and the university community have long demanded more democratic processes for appointing Heads of Departments and Deans, and to minimize arbitrary discretion by making processes more open. This aligns with reports we worked on—including the 2015 workshop report involving FUTA and the UGC—whose recommendations we are now institutionalizing through law. Further reforms will follow, and a committee has been appointed to study and recommend.

¶ 03 It was suggested that these changes harm “Sir Ivor Jennings’ university autonomy” and politicize governance. I fail to see how. These amendments expand the pool eligible to be Dean and open up processes—hardly a path to politicization. We will also bring, at Committee Stage, proposals from FUTA.

¶ 04 Remember, our public universities are funded by the public and must be publicly accountable, even as academic autonomy is protected. In the 1960s, this House held robust debates about the tension between autonomy and accountability. Hence, Councils today have more external members than ex officio insiders, reflecting responsibility to the public interest. While in practice some appointments were distorted, the intent was public accountability. Our amendments do not harm autonomy nor do they politicize; rather, they empower the university community to have a stronger say in who administers them.

¶ 05 On education reforms, I ask the Opposition to study our proposals properly and critique substantively. Otherwise, we cannot have a productive debate. For example, the Opposition Leader read a list—digital literacy, data science, cybersecurity, data analytics—like a table of contents. Our reform document sets out national education goals from which curricula flow. These include:

¶ 06 - Promoting physical, mental, spiritual, socio-emotional and environmental well-being for healthy, happy lives grounded in human values. - Developing knowledge, skills, attitudes and human qualities for technological, socio-economic and cultural development aligned with national needs and global trends. - Producing effective individuals with curiosity, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and innovation. - Advancing respect for human rights and the rule of law within a democratic, just society. - Building capacity to manage change and face complex, unforeseen situations. - Safeguarding cultural and environmental heritage while responding to global challenges. - Fostering lifelong, self-directed learners.

¶ 07 From these flow foundational literacies (language, numeracy, scientific, learning, ICT, media and information, cultural/aesthetic, financial/entrepreneurial) and digital/future skills (digital proficiency, coding, AI awareness, data literacy, cybersecurity). You do not teach everything at once across Grades 6 to 13; content is sequenced across years. Therefore, engage the substance, not just headings.

¶ 08 Globally, two key policy anchors are “Lifelong Learning” and “Learning to Learn”—both integral to our reforms. The world changes too fast for fixed content lists; we must give children the competencies to navigate and thrive. Our structure introduces flexibility for re-entry to learning, stackable progression, and integration with work.

¶ 09 A major element is opening vocational pathways, raising their value, sparking curiosity, and embedding TVET within education—so we form not just job seekers but good citizens with the full skill set.

¶ 10 On the Grade 6 module error: we accepted responsibility and corrected it immediately—that is what an accountable government does. Unfortunately, the Opposition used that to attack blindly, without understanding the content, driven by anger and a desire to topple the Government with every passing rumour of an imminent President. You even tried to unseat the Prime Minister. Bring your No-confidence Motion if you must; we are ready. Ultimately, we answer to the people and our conscience.

¶ 11 We pursue reforms suited to today’s complex, rapidly changing world. Let us have a serious, informed debate, grounded in substance and global evidence. We stand ready for that.

¶ 12 Thank you for the time.