The Hon. Lasith Bhashana Gamage

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees.

¶ 02 This motion by Hon. Ravi Karunanayake is timely. He asked where to begin in shaping youth attitudes. We cannot solve this merely by jobs or entrepreneurship slogans; first we must nurture citizens who love the country—productive contributors who either hold decent jobs or develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

¶ 03 Schools, vocational institutes, and universities must all contribute. Do students finish school with defined targets and pathways—not only for jobs but for further education too? In 2016-2017, with the University of Peradeniya, we ran the “Sahodara Piyapath” programme, teaching science and mathematics in schools lacking teachers. Many students had no plan even to attempt A/Ls. Some of these schools are not remote; they are near Gampola’s main roads.

¶ 04 We must restructure schooling and integrate vocational education into curricula, developing student and teacher mindsets with targets and vision to create productive citizens.

¶ 05 Meanwhile, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, discussions are underway to build agricultural entrepreneurship through youth camps, the National Youth Services Council, and State farms, working with the Ministry of Agriculture to channel youth into modern agribusiness. I thank Hon. Ravi Karunanayake for bringing this motion.