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- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath JJB AI summary Aravinda Senarath stated that any use of the institute’s land and resources must be considered within its mandate and legal framework. He said the Department would study the legal provisions regarding allowing local students to benefit from these resources and, if feasible, implement changes and develop an appropriate plan. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Chandana Thennakoon JJB AI summary Chandana Thennakoon highlighted that a local institute with significant land, buildings, staff, IT facilities, and residential and lecture capacity is being used only minimally for irrigation-related programmes. He asked whether additional technical or higher-education programmes could be introduced, or whether the facility could be converted into another educational institution to better serve regional education needs and improve resource use. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath JJB AI summary Aravinda Senarath stated that there is no legal impediment to enrollment at the institute, but intake limits under previous administrations resulted in no cohorts being recruited for about three years. He said the Department plans to restart enrollments this year, with advertisements already published, qualifications under review, and preliminary steps underway. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Chandana Thennakoon JJB AI summary Chandana Thennakoon raised concerns that interrupted student enrolment at the institute has led to underuse of physical and human resources and weakened its academic culture. He noted significant vacancies for engineering assistants and asked the Deputy Minister whether any legal or other barrier prevents recruiting students to the institute. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister, responding on behalf of the Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister, provided details on the Irrigation Training Institute in Galgamuwa, established on 1 January 1959 on a 16-acre site with 36 buildings and 31 current staff. He stated that the institute trains technical and other irrigation staff, conducts induction and in-service courses, Efficiency Bar Examinations, water management and field training, and survey camps, with 1,260 trainees having completed the Engineering Assistant Diploma since the first 35-student intake in 1959. He noted that the most recent diploma intake was in 2014 and that training functions are also linked to the Kotmale International Irrigation and Water Management Training Institute. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Namal Sudarshana JJB AI summary Dr. Namal Sudarshana stated that Sri Lanka had not previously had a standalone national policy on preschool education, despite the 2008 National Policy on Early Childhood Development. He said a National Preschool Policy is now in its final stage, developed by the Ministries of Education and Women and Child Affairs with the National Institute of Education, prioritizing equitable access for all children regardless of socio-economic status or disability. He also noted that a Five-Year Action Plan for 2026–2030 on Early Childhood Development has been prepared with the involvement of the Ministries of Women and Child Affairs, Education, and Health. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva asked the Deputy Minister what provision the Ministry has made in the National Child Policy for including children aged 3–5 with special educational needs in preschools. Referring to the Rs. 5,000 monthly allowance introduced in recent Budgets for children with neurological disabilities and developmental delays, he sought details on the inclusive policy and programme planned to ensure fair early childhood opportunities within the preschool system. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva JJB AI summary Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva said early childhood development gives insufficient attention to children with disabilities compared with general education. He called for a national, scientifically based screening and assessment process, linked to hospitals, MOH offices and the wider health system, to identify disabilities early and direct children to preschool education. He asked the Deputy Minister what steps the Ministry is taking to establish a strong data system to support this process. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Namal Sudarshana - Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister stated that the Ministry currently lacks data on children with disabilities aged 3–5, but is developing a mechanism and will collect relevant information through the forthcoming preschool census. He outlined measures to support inclusive preschool education, including national ECD standards on accessible facilities, inclusive spaces and appropriate learning assessments, as well as increased enrolment through the Morning Meal Programme. He noted that preschool admissions are handled by provincial authorities under devolved functions, and said teacher training includes 50 hours on children with disabilities, with further 2026 plans for capacity-building and an autism awareness handbook. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Nalin Hewage - Deputy Minister of Vocational Education JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister stated that a unit established to focus on the relevant group of children had become inactive and is now being considered for revival. He said the Ministry will strengthen the unit and restore its original mandate, particularly to identify and reintegrate those children. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Dewananda Suraweera JJB AI summary Hon. Dewananda Suraweera raised a supplementary question on the Non-Formal Education Unit established in 1997 to support compulsory education. He stated that the unit had weakened over time and lacked clear direction, and asked what measures were being taken to revitalize it. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Nalin Hewage - Deputy Minister of Vocational Education JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister said the Ministry recognized that past attention to the issue had declined, prompting new programmes and a special intervention. He stated that 1,217 of 1,344 schools in the Western Province had established the relevant committees, with follow-up continuing, and expressed confidence that the situation could be corrected through intensified monitoring. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Dewananda Suraweera JJB AI summary Hon. Dewananda Suraweera acknowledged Ministry efforts on special educational needs learners and school system recovery but argued that outcomes remain inadequate. He questioned the reliability of recently provided dropout data and asked what concrete measures would be taken to ensure compulsory education mechanisms meet regularly, monitor early absences, and reduce dropouts among children aged 5 to 16 under the policy in place since 1997. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Nalin Hewage - Deputy Minister of Vocational Education JJB AI summary On behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Deputy Minister provided data on compulsory education implementation in the Western Province, stating that 1,217 of 1,344 government schools had established required school committees by December 2025 and that instructions had been issued to complete the remaining 127. He reported figures on out-of-school children identified, reintegrated, and re-admitted in 2024 and 2025, and outlined mechanisms under Circulars 33/2022, 37/2020, 28/2024, and 2025/01 for assessing and supporting learners with special educational needs. He also described measures including zonal assessment committees, early identification through health services, teacher training, assistive devices, special education units, and the planned role of the National Institute for Special and Inclusive Education, while noting that a precise number for one requested category could not be provided. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 The Hon. Dewananda Suraweera JJB AI summary Asked the Prime Minister and Minister of Education to report on implementation of compulsory education regulations for children aged 5–16 in government schools in the Western Province. He sought details on whether school committees had been established, whether intermittent attendees, long-term absentees, dropouts, low-achieving students, and students with special educational needs had been identified, and the relevant numbers. He also requested information on the officers responsible, special education programmes, and any regulatory process for readmitting students who leave school. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 19 May 2026 School Children with Special Educational Needs: Western Province AI summary Question No. 1925/2026 concerns schoolchildren with special educational needs in the Western Province. The Member seeks information from the relevant Minister on the provision, administration, or support arrangements for special education in provincial schools, including any related data, services, or policy measures. Oral Questions: Department of Wildlife Conservation and Other Questions Read →
- 8 May 2026 The Hon. Dinindu Saman Hennayake - Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Dinindu Saman Hennayake thanked Hon. Lal Premanath for raising youth suicide and noted that, while Sri Lanka’s suicide rate has declined from earlier levels, it remains above the global average. He identified mental stress from educational competition, parental expectations, relationship breakdowns, family conflict and cyberbullying as key contributing factors, and linked the Government’s education reforms to efforts to reduce pressure on adolescents. He said the Ministry of Youth Affairs is developing preventive measures, including a Youth App for confidential counselling, youth engagement programmes through the National Youth Services Council and National Youth Corps, and a National Research Conference on Youth Development with a focus on youth mental stress. Debate: Private Members' Motion P.60/2025 - Preventing Suicide Among Young Children Read →
- 8 May 2026 The Hon. Aruna Panagoda JJB AI summary Hon. Aruna Panagoda supported the motion on preventing youth suicide, citing frequent cases and estimating that 3,000 to 3,500 young lives are lost annually over issues such as examinations, workplace problems, and school-related stress. He argued for long-term social interventions through the education system, including character-building, counselling, extracurricular activities, stronger family relationships, and closer teacher-student engagement. He also urged electronic and social media, and Parliament itself, to act responsibly and avoid conduct that could negatively affect individuals, families, and social attitudes. Debate: Private Members' Motion P.60/2025 - Preventing Suicide Among Young Children Read →
- 8 May 2026 The Hon. T.K. Jayasundara JJB AI summary Hon. T.K. Jayasundara seconded the Private Member’s Motion on suicide prevention, arguing that suicide attempts reflect both individual psychological distress and wider social factors such as economic hardship and community conditions. He said a lack of resilience is a key underlying cause, criticizing the education system for being too teacher-centred and exam-centred rather than preparing children to adapt to new challenges. He urged reforms in education, media, and social discourse to build resilience among youth so they can cope with adversity without resorting to self-harm. Debate: Private Members' Motion P.60/2025 - Preventing Suicide Among Young Children Read →
- 8 May 2026 The Hon. Lal Premanath JJB AI summary Lal Premanath moved a resolution calling for deeper intervention by political authorities, officials, the media and the public to prevent youth suicide, arguing that existing counselling, university training and hospital psychiatric services remain inadequate. He cited high risks among school-age girls linked to relationship, exam, family and online pressures, and among young men linked to drugs, unemployment, economic stress and domestic disputes, while noting stigma and poor coordination between schools, police, divisional offices and hospitals. He urged increased funding at district and divisional levels, use of community structures such as “Praja Shakthi”, stronger roles for the Youth and Sports Ministry, field-oriented counselling, resilience education, responsible media reporting, parental awareness of social media and gaming risks, and the creation of a national rapid-response unit. Debate: Private Members' Motion P.60/2025 - Preventing Suicide Among Young Children Read →