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English education should not be limited to the rich: Kandy Bishop
Bishop of Kandy, His Lordship Bishop Valance Mendis, recently stressed the pivotal importance of providing quality education to children of those long suffering people of Kalpitiya peninsula, including those who live on the islands, if they are to protect their rights.
Bishop Mendis, who is also Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chilaw, said that English education should not be limited to the rich. Bishop Mendis highlighted the importance of valuebased education for which the Church is committed.
Bishop Mendis was addressing a gathering after the opening of a new branch of the John Paul II English Medium College, and blessing of the newly built Convent for the Sisters of Perpetual Help, on Feb. 10. The events coincided with Rev. Fr. Sampath Prasanga taking over the reins as the new Parish Priest of Kalpitiya.
Bishop Mendis said that social and environmental injustices couldn’t be successfully overcome without improving education. Referring to the daunting challenges, faced by the Kalpitiya population over the past few decades, Bishop Mendis pointed out how the coal-fired power plant, at Norochcholai, caused serious health issues. There were plans to sell some of the fisheries islands of Kalpitiya to foreign countries for tourism. Then, there was the corrupt garbage dumping project, at Aruwakkau, which was promoted by former governments, which became a severe environmental hazard, even to the people in Kalpitiya. In all those instances, the Church came forward to protect the rights of the people and, as a result, their right to life, and livelihood, in the islands, is protected today.
The Branch School of St. John Paul II College and the newly built Convent were blessed by Bishop Mendis.
The school building was constructed, under the supervision of Rev. Fr. Sampath Prasanga, who received appointment as its first principal.
The Procurator General of Chilaw Diocese, Rev. Fr. Nelson Samantha Fernando, saw to it that the Convent building was ready, to coincide with the opening of the School. The services of the Perpetual Help Sisters will be a blessing to Kalpitiya, the Bishop said.
The proceedings of the day was marked by the farewell accorded to Rev. Fr. Arosh Priyanga, the outgoing Parish Priest, and welcome to the new Parish Priest, which was held in the Church of Our Lady of Good Voyage, in Kalpitiya.
The Bishop appreciated the yeomen service rendered by Fr. Arosh to the people of Kalpitiya.
The Parish of Kalpitiya is now having three priests for the first time. Bishop Mendis said that they would serve 14 churches in Kalpitiya, which includes the 10 islands, namely, Battalangunduwa, Palliyawatta, Siinagunduwa, Karativu, Mohottuwarama, Utchimune, Palugahathurai, Pukkulam, Bottuwadiya and Keerimundel.
The Sunday Masses are celebrated in all the islands and one Priest resides in Battalangunduwa Island, from Friday to Monday, looking after their spiritual needs.
At the end of the ceremony, a short meeting was held with the representatives of the islands where they expressed their love and gratitude to the Rev. Fathers who serve them with love and generosity, bracing all challenges.
During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 11 Mar 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 02 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, in the sea area North of Mannar.
The North Central Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the North Central Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Mannar.
The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (02) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Kilinochchi for onward legal proceedings.
The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed in a torpedo attack by a US submarine last week in the Indian Ocean are due to be flown home on Friday, Sri Lanka’s defence ministry has said.
The seamen were among 130 thought to be aboard the Iranian warship, the Iris Dena, when it was sunk on 4 March about 40km (25 miles) from Sri Lanka’s southern coastline.
A police escort transferred bodies to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport on Friday morning for the repatriation to Iran, after they were stored in two freezers at Galle National Hospital.
Sri Lanka said 32 sailors rescued by its navy after the torpedo attack “will remain in Sri Lanka”, according to news agency AFP.
A magistrate in the Sri Lankan city of Galle ordered that the 84 bodies should be released to the Iranian embassy.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said shortly after the sinking that the Iranian warship had died a “quiet death”.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US had “perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores”, adding that “the US will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set”.
Video released by the US Department of Defense after the incident showed a ship being struck, causing the stern to rise up before exploding.
The Iris Dena had been returning from a military exercise hosted by India when it was attacked.
Its sinking in international waters came during the current US-Israeli war with Iran and marked a dramatic widening of the conflict.
Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes across the Middle East – targeting Gulf countries allied with the US.
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Safeguarding linguistic heritage is not only a cultural responsibility, but also a shared commitment to preserving the diversity of our world – PM
Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated as the Chief Guest in the special event organized to commemorate International Mother Languages Day 2026 on 13 March 2026 at the New Arts Theatre of the University of Colombo. The event was held under the theme ’Languages Unite: Diverse Voices, Shared Humanity’.
The event was jointly organized by the High Commission of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Education of Sri Lanka with the support of the United Nations, the Sri Lanka Scout Association, and the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association.
Certificates and awards were presented to school winners of the painting, essay, and short video creation competitions organized in conjunction with the celebration of International Mother Language Day 2026.
Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“International Mother Language Day stands as a powerful reminder of the profound connection between language, identity, and dignity.
This global observance owes its origins to the visionary initiative of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s advocacy transformed a national commemoration into a global movement one that celebrates the rich mosaic of humanity’s linguistic heritage.
Sri Lanka’s language diversity reflects the richness of our pluralistic heritage. This diversity should not be seen as a challenge to be managed, but as a strength to be valued and cherished.
When we protect language rights, we nurture social harmony. When we promote multilingual education, we empower future generations. And when we listen to one another in our own languages, we affirm each other’s humanity. At a time when divisions can easily take root, respect for linguistic diversity can instead serve as a bridge of empathy and cooperation.
In an increasingly digital age, we must also reflect on the importance of preserving linguistic diversity in cyberspace. Thousands of languages around the world remain vulnerable. Without conscious efforts in education, technology, and policy, many risk fading into silence. Safeguarding linguistic heritage is therefore not only a cultural responsibility, but also a shared commitment to preserving the diversity of our world”.
The Prime Minister remarked that the partnership between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh continues to grow in friendship and cooperation with the shared commitment to multilateralism, cultural understanding, and people-to-people engagement strengthens the bonds between the two nations.
The event was attended by the Bangladesh High Commissioner, Andalib Elias, Deputy Speaker Dr. Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, FAO Country Representative for Sri Lanka and Maldives Vimlendra Sharan, Chief Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association Dr. Kushantha Herath, diplomatic crops, members of the Sri Lanka Scout Association, and the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association and students.
[Prime Minister’s media division]
Navy seizes an Indian fishing boat poaching in Mannar seas
Bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed in US torpedo strike to be repatriated
Four crew members killed after US refuelling plane crashes in Iraq
Safeguarding linguistic heritage is not only a cultural responsibility, but also a shared commitment to preserving the diversity of our world – PM
This is not an ordinary scholarship programme. It defines the future vision of our country – PM
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