The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, unemployment in Sri Lanka is a national issue that seriously affects society and the economy. In particular, educated youth with higher skills being unemployed impacts not only their future but the entire economy and may drive youth towards illegal activities, crime and drug use. Therefore every government must prioritize reducing unemployment. I raise the following:

¶ 02 1. What is the current unemployment level in Sri Lanka?

¶ 03 2. What are the numerical figures by educational attainment: G.C.E. (O/L) pass, G.C.E. (A/L) pass, and university graduates?

¶ 04 3. Does the Government accept that unemployment can create a disastrous social situation?

¶ 05 4. What short-, medium- and long-term measures has the Government taken to minimize unemployment?

¶ 06 5. As unemployment reduction is a macroeconomic target, what percentage targets does the Government aim for in 2025, 2026, and 2027?

¶ 07 6. There are 35,000–40,000 unemployed graduates, including roughly 20,000 for the teaching service, about 3,000 for STEM, 9,000 for non-STEM, and 3,000 for Sri Lanka Customs, Inland Revenue, and Excise. The present Government promised jobs for 35,000 graduates according to its policy declaration—which I can table if anyone has forgotten. What is the timeline to provide these jobs?

¶ 08 The Hon. Prime Minister has clearly stated there are over 50,000 vacancies in the IT sector. Providing jobs for these 35,000 graduates and placing development officers into the teaching cadre should be straightforward. I await the Government’s response.