Topic
Education
1,409 speeches · 257 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 213 |
| 2 | Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senevirathna, M.P. JJB | 99 |
| 3 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 51 |
| 4 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 29 |
| 5 | Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, M.P. SJB | 25 |
| 6 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 25 |
| 7 | Hon. Nalin Hewage, M.P. JJB | 21 |
| 8 | Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, M.P. NDF | 18 |
| 9 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 17 |
| 10 | Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka, M.P. SJB | 17 |
Speeches
1,409 on this topic- 21 January 2026 The Hon. (Prof.) L.M. Abeywickrama JJB AI summary Asked the Prime Minister and Minister of Education to provide details on the “Nearest School—the Best School” infrastructure projects in the Matara District, including total expenditure and the numbers completed and incomplete. He also sought information on why two teacher quarters at Urubokka National School cannot be used and what steps will be taken to make them usable. Second Round of Oral Questions and Standing Order clarification Read →
- 21 January 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Sajith Premadasa objected to a remark by the Chief Government Whip about Opposition Members’ education levels. He argued that, irrespective of such comments, the Government must be held accountable for issues relating to Grade Six modules. Second Round of Oral Questions and Standing Order clarification Read →
- 21 January 2026 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake stated that opposition to introducing certain sixth-grade modules was based on concerns that students had not yet mastered fifth-grade-level writing skills. He argued that curriculum changes should take account of students’ existing competencies before advancing to higher-level content. Procedural matters - Supplementary questions and Standing Orders dispute Read →
- 21 January 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senevirathna - Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education begins by referring to the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, but the provided excerpt does not include the substance of the speech. No specific policy position, proposal, question, or legislative issue can be identified from the available text. Procedural matters - Supplementary questions and Standing Orders dispute Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera outlined the Aswesuma welfare payment categories under the Welfare Benefits Act, noting recent increases for poor and severely poor beneficiaries and continued support for elderly persons, persons with disabilities and CKD patients. He said the immediate proposal is to extend for six months the Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance for the vulnerable group, which ended on 31 December 2025, in view of the impacts of Cyclone “Diththa.” He stated that the Government aims to reduce dependency by empowering beneficiaries through economic activity, supported by annual re-registration and an electronic data system to identify eligible recipients and ensure timely payments. He also briefly defended the Government’s education reforms against Opposition criticism. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. M.S. Abthul Wazeeth SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Abthul Wazeeth urged the Government to expedite review and payment issues under the Aswesuma welfare programme in the Pottuvil DS Division, including about 5,000 pending applications and 19 delayed payments, and requested revisions to the points-based selection criteria to better cover poor families. He also called for graduates employed in lower public service posts to be regularized onto appropriate MN salary scales and assigned work relevant to their qualifications. He requested that Eastern Province volunteer teachers appointed under Cabinet Decision No. 19/0314/127/009 have their 2005–2019 volunteer service counted for pension purposes, and asked authorities to upgrade lower-tier Muslim religious education institutions so their qualifications are recognized. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Nandana Pathmakumara JJB AI summary Hon. Nandana Pathmakumara defended the Government’s Aswesuma welfare programme, arguing that prices have fallen, lawful industries are developing, taxes are being collected from evaders, and public servants have received significant salary relief. He said poverty stems from long-standing failures in state intervention, protection for the elderly and disabled, education, health, housing, and security, and cited measures such as increasing the elderly allowance to Rs. 5,000 and allocating major funding for health. He also stated that the 2026 Budget supports rural roads, housing, self-employment, and industries, and argued that education reforms are necessary to reduce poverty. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Wasantha Samarasinghe stated that the President had not spoken against any religion, but had warned against using religion to incite racism, and noted reports that complaints may be made to the CID over the matter. He linked this to the Amendment and education reforms before Parliament, saying the Government would continue providing relief and facilities to those in need under the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” programme. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development JJB AI summary The Minister sought approval to extend the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme for six months for around 500,000 beneficiaries, while outlining related housing and community development initiatives, including a target of 16,000 houses and wider inter-ministerial plans for 50,000 houses. He highlighted government interventions to reduce prices of essential goods, citing reductions in onions, potatoes, sugar, milk powder, wheat flour and rice prices, alongside social protection measures. He defended ongoing education reforms based on curriculum, infrastructure, human resources, monitoring and evaluation, and public awareness, rejecting Opposition criticism over disputed content in a Grade 6 English module and calling for any no-confidence motion to be formally tabled. He said the reforms would proceed from Grade 1 with identified lapses corrected and public communication strengthened. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. M.A.M. Thahir ACMC AI summary Hon. M.A.M. Thahir argued that the Aswesuma welfare scheme continues to exclude many eligible households due to flawed criteria, while rising costs make current cash benefits inadequate. He called for reduced prices of essentials and utilities, revised eligibility rules for migrant families, fisherfolk, small self-employed persons and poor households with certain assets, and consideration of in-kind support through cooperatives. He also urged the return of seized agricultural lands in the North and East, better use of local resources to create employment, and urgent action to address disrupted public health services in the East. He supported education reform but demanded the removal of religiously objectionable sexually explicit content from proposed materials. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB AI summary Ajith P. Perera paid tribute to the late Nandana Gunathilaka, recalling his political career and public service in Kalutara and Panadura. He said the Samagi Jana Balawegaya supports education reform but argued the Government failed to conduct proper consultation through a White Paper and treated the process as a limited syllabus change rather than a wider institutional, assessment and teacher-training reform. Referring to the President’s 13 January pause of Grade 6 reforms, he said delays in modules, teacher training, textbooks and devices were the Government’s responsibility, and urged it to accept responsibility, correct the shortcomings and implement reforms with certainty for students and parents. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi JJB AI summary Hon. Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi supported approval of the Aswesuma payment scheme under the Welfare Benefits Act, arguing it should continue while beneficiaries are helped move from dependency to productive economic participation. He linked poverty, ignorance, drug abuse and weak development outcomes to the need for education reform, and stated that copybooks are not banned under the reforms but remain available for children who need support with letter formation. He also criticized Opposition Members for, in his view, commenting on reforms without seeking briefings or engaging sufficiently in committee work. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera SB AI summary Hon. Dilith Jayaweera argued that education reforms are necessary but risk undermining free education unless implemented through a structured pilot programme. He criticised the current Grade 1 reforms, citing the abolition of copybooks, lack of printed teacher guides, reliance on QR codes and digital equipment, and requests for schools to procure TVs and sound systems, and said children were being used as test subjects. He also raised concerns about delays in school uniforms and urged the President to retract a statement made in Jaffna if it had caused ethnic or religious tension. He referred to the remand of Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero and alleged vilification of the Sangha, while calling for protection of all religious and ethnic communities. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. (Ms.) Ambika Samivel JJB AI summary Hon. Ambika Samivel said discrepancies in the Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Payment Scheme, including exclusion of eligible plantation communities and inclusion of ineligible recipients, are being corrected by the Government. She noted increases in elderly, disability and CKD payments, support for children from low-income families, and argued that welfare should help families recover from poverty rather than create dependency. She also linked poverty reduction to education reform, defending the Government’s reform programme against calls for the Prime Minister’s resignation and stating that promised measures, including a Rs. 1,700 daily wage for plantation workers from the 10th of the next month, would be implemented. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Sajith Premadasa argued that the Aswesuma payment scheme is not a poverty-eradication programme unless linked to a broader strategy covering production, investment, consumption, savings and exports. He rejected claims that the Opposition opposed education reforms, stating that the Grade 6 reform was deferred by the President due to content, teacher training and technical issues, including an obscene link in an English module. He questioned whether parents were being required to fund TVs and smart boards despite assurances that the State would provide such equipment, and tabled related school letters and the disputed module. He said the Opposition supports genuine reforms, including languages and STEAM education, but demanded proper implementation and accountability. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Anura Karunathilaka - Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation JJB AI summary The Minister said benefits for the “At-risk” category under the Welfare Benefits Act and Aswesuma programme have been extended to June 2026, while allowances for poor and extremely poor categories will continue until June 2027, covering 1.92 million families and additional elderly, kidney disease, and disability beneficiaries. He argued that welfare support should be temporary and linked to socioeconomic empowerment, citing the Praja Shakthi programme and livelihood initiatives. He also defended proposed education curriculum reforms as part of addressing multidimensional poverty, welcomed constructive criticism, and challenged the Opposition to promptly table and debate its proposed no-confidence motion over the reform process. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Muneer Mulaffer - Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer rejected Opposition claims that officials were responsible for delays to the Central Expressway, arguing that contractor non-payment arose from the previous Government’s bankruptcy and mismanagement. He defended the Government’s poverty relief efforts, particularly Aswesuma, and said adjustments would be made to reflect disaster impacts while ensuring responsible use of public funds. He also linked poverty alleviation to education reform, criticizing opposition to reforms by politically motivated actors and stressing the need for education to help break the cycle of poverty. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Thilanka U. Gamage JJB AI summary Hon. Thilanka U. Gamage supported amendments extending Aswesuma benefits, citing the impact of the “Didva” cyclone and continuing hardship, with poor and extreme poor categories extended to June 2027 and vulnerable beneficiaries to June 2026. He said the scheme remains temporary but should not end abruptly, and called for linking beneficiaries to production, credit, small industries, and poverty-eradication programmes while continuing support for schoolchildren, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. He also defended education reforms as central to reducing poverty, invited the Opposition to debate them, and referred to the Praja Shakthi National Programme as part of a five-year plan to build capacity and reduce rural poverty. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 The Hon. Wijesiri Basnayake JJB AI summary Hon. Wijesiri Basnayake discussed amendments to the Aswesuma social protection payment scheme under the Welfare Benefits Act, noting extensions of benefits for vulnerable households to June 2026 and for poor and extreme poor households to June 2027, while disability, kidney patient, and elderly benefits continue. He outlined the scheme’s categories and payment levels, and linked the changes to continuing hardship after Cyclone “Didva.” He acknowledged concerns about targeting errors, including exclusion of eligible poor households and inclusion of ineligible households, and said a Technical Committee is revising indicators and weights, after which field verification and an updated poverty registry will be used to improve benefit delivery. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →
- 20 January 2026 Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that limited public funds should be directed toward priorities such as English education, teacher training, and technology. He urged that the private sector not be displaced in areas where it can provide services, and that public spending focus on public goods. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Read →