The Hon. Sajith Premadasa

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, please grant me one more minute.

¶ 02 As the world transforms and we change course, we believe knowledge of our origins and our history is essential. Our culture, our civilization, our journey, how our ancient kings protected the nation, ensured stability, achieved self-sufficiency, and pursued development—must the new generation not learn these?

¶ 03 Further, since the linguistic-political changes of the 1950s, education has become deeply divided—education for the haves and education for the have-nots. Many now strive to learn English. We should ask how and why this serious problem arose for those who struggle with English. I too once made such a criticism in this House; I now withdraw it as inappropriate. Why? Because we function here in English. We must finally recognize this deficit. That language-based political decision deprived millions of children of their educational birthright. We propose to the Prime Minister that, in the new Constitution being drafted, the chapter on Fundamental Rights include broad human rights—free education, free health, social welfare, agriculture, industry, services, and good governance.

¶ 04 We reiterate: English must be given priority. Parents feel pride when their children succeed in international schools; we cannot then say English need not be prioritized in the public education system. If it is good for one’s own child, it must be good for the 4.1 million children in free education. We must modernize and contemporize free education and implement far-reaching reforms, aligning with global labour market demand and supply, while not abandoning subjects like History.

¶ 05 Even those without formal educational qualifications should be able to improve language proficiency through libraries. The best example is President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who honed his English in this Parliament’s Library through self-education and later addressed the United Nations.

¶ 06 Finally, to our Hon. Prime Minister who studied in India: we have lessons to learn from India. IITs and IIMs exist across India’s states and have helped build a vast, highly educated middle class. That should be our aspiration too—empowering our people and their children with knowledge, intellect, and wisdom. We do not see such a transformation emerging from the Government’s ad hoc processes.

¶ 07 Thank you, Hon. Chairman.