News
Development activities in schools within plantation areas should be carried out in coordination with District Coordinating Committees – PM
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that development activities in schools within plantation areas should be carried out in coordination with District Coordinating Committees, and that further recruitments to the teaching service will be undertaken in the future according to existing vacancies.
The Prime Minister made these remarks at a meeting held on Thursday [19 February] at the Parliament of Sri Lanka, attended by officials of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education and the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, convened to identify solutions to issues affecting schools within plantation areas.
During the meeting, special attention was drawn to identifying schools in plantation areas; improving infrastructure, sanitary facilities and security within those schools; confirming lands of school premises; filling existing vacancies of teachers, principals and sports instructors; and providing transportation facilities of schools within the plantation areas.
Officials also drew the Prime Minister’s attention to challenges faced by students in Grade 13 in studying science and mathematics streams in estate schools, as well as issues related to language. The need for Tamil-medium support in teacher-training programmes was also emphasized during the meeting.
The Prime Minister stressed that resolving issues related to lands belonging to the schools in plantation areas require collection of data at district-level, and that the suitability of each school site should be considered when relocating or regularizing schools, taking into account the impacts caused by Cyclone Ditwah. She instructed officials to formulate an efficient mechanism to collect the necessary data.
She further noted that schools within plantation areas are government schools and that due consideration should be given to how these schools are identified and referred to in the future.
The Prime Minister instructed officials to keep District Coordinating Committees informed and to collaborate with them in carrying out development activities related to estate schools, emphasizing that this would enable closer monitoring of school development initiatives.
She also expressed confidence that the planned recruitment of 23,000 teachers would help address the existing teacher shortages to a considerable extent, and stated that further annual recruitment would be undertaken in the future to fill remaining vacancies.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Ramalingam Chandrasekar; Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Madhura Senevirathne; Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Sundaralingam Pradeep; Members of Parliament; and officials of the relevant ministries.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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