The Hon. Harsha de Silva

¶ 01 Skills: adaptability and continuous learning; the ability to quickly learn new technologies and adapt to changing roles will be paramount; technology proficiency; complex problem solving; communication and collaboration; leadership and social influence; creativity and innovation; and emotional intelligence. Those are the skills our children must have as adults to face a globally competitive economy. So, the curricula need to change.

¶ 02 Hon. Prime Minister, as I am running out of time, let me conclude with this point. The President did not speak much about the English language, but English is absolutely essential. Let me end with one example, Hon. Presiding Member. When I go to small political meetings of around 20 or 30 people, I often do a quick survey. I ask: “Parents here, raise your hands and tell me who wants their children’s education to be in English.” Believe me, in almost all cases, the response was almost 100 per cent; only in one or two instances was it not 100 per cent.

¶ 03 I will finish up, Sir.

¶ 04 Therefore, as we build bridges to the world and learn technology, we also absolutely need English. Speaking English does not mean we forget Sinhala or Tamil. Through English, we can bridge the gap between rural schools and a school like Royal College, Colombo — the very gap the President spoke about.

¶ 05 Hon. Prime Minister, learning AI and all that is right. But if we cannot appreciate music or art, we cannot make a complete person. Due to time, I will conclude. Finally, we agree to take forward these educational reforms. However, let’s have a dialogue, bring everyone together.

¶ 06 I wish you well. Thank you very much.

¶ 07 - Interruptions -