The Hon. Chanaka Madugoda

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, punishment and wrongdoing are two sides of the same coin. If there is a wrong, there should be a punishment. But today, in schools and even at home, when a child does something wrong, teachers and even parents think twice before taking any corrective action. Why? Because principals and teachers who tried to discipline have ended up as convicted persons, paying the price, and living in fear. Therefore, we must discuss this matter with great sensitivity. We see a developed society rejecting punishment for wrongs. As the school system advances, teachers hesitate to provide corrective guidance, sometimes ignoring wrongdoing because of the societal discourse around rules on discipline. In this climate, while developing the school system and exercising responsibilities entrusted to student leaders, principals, teachers, and the larger community face psychological pressure.

¶ 02 In my view, if corrective engagement requires some room to interact firmly with children to guide them, we should allow that space. Without it, we cannot move forward.

¶ 03 I also wish to recall recent incidents involving teachers running tuition classes linked to the National People's Power (NPP). There were several unfortunate examples: a boy in a tuition class was made to be whipped with a vine by a girl student; in another case, a child who allegedly suffered mental distress due to a tuition teacher committed suicide. These are things that should never happen in our society. This is not about NPP, Pohottuwa, or any other party. I merely recall these to say: discussing the nature and gravity of wrongdoing is a legitimate, critical concern.

¶ 04 Hon. Deputy Speaker, a song by Sunil Perera comes to mind: “Father, the knock you gave me made me see stars at noon. My ears were filled with your oaths, That day I saw you as an enemy, father, Today I see you like a god, father…”

¶ 05 That reflects how, through measured discipline, our lives were built. Let us therefore speak about this delicately. I will now briefly raise some constituency issues.

¶ 06 Under the previous government, a separate Cinnamon Development Department was created under the Department of Export Agriculture. Galle is the most prominent district for cinnamon; the best cinnamon grows in the South, in Galle. However, those engaged in cinnamon cultivation now face severe difficulties. Despite setting up a dedicated department, there appears to be no functional regional structure or adequate field officers. Owing to staff shortages and lack of an organizational hierarchy from top to bottom, there is no active state mechanism taking responsibility for rural cinnamon. World-class cinnamon growers in Galle are losing pathways to engage. I respectfully urge that the shortcomings be identified and the department strengthened.

¶ 07 Next, school sports coaches face unresolved issues. Working with teachers, they have uplifted school sports significantly. Yet, after around five years of service, their appointments remain unregularized, leading to job insecurity. Although they teach sports from Grade 6 to 11, they are categorized as non-academic staff, and two of the three components used to assess their performance fall outside their real fields. They also lack a clear career progression. I respectfully request the Ministers of Sports and Education to address these concerns and provide solutions.

¶ 08 Thank you for the opportunity, Hon. Deputy Speaker.