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Justice Minister says English remains medium of instruction at Law College

Published

4 years ago

2022/10/20

By Saman Indrajith

Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapkshe told Parliament yesterday that, as per the existing laws, English is the medium of examinations in the Sri Lanka Law College.

The Minister said that it had been made mandatory for them to sit the examination only in the English medium from this year, as per the provisions of the Gazette Extraordinary No.2208/13 of December 30, 2020.

Dr Rajapakshe said so while responding to a question by SJB Ratnapura District MP, Hesha Withanage, who called on him to permit the Law College students to answer examinations in Sinhala or Tamil.

Minister Rajapakshe said that the need for teaching law subjects in the English medium, had been stressed by many legal experts, and scholars. There are some students who have been demanding that they be permited to sit the examinations in either Sinhala or Tamil. I have taken up this issue with the Chief Justice, who is also the Chairman of the Incorporated Council of Legal Education, under which the Sri Lanka Law College functions. The Chief Justice, thereafter, referred the issue to the Council’s Board of Studies, and the Board has decided that the Law College should conduct its examinations only in the English medium, and that should not be changed. I will take up this matter with the Chief Justice, again” the Minister said.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP, Lakshman Kiriella, said that the issue of changing the medium of instruction had been made by politicians and now there was a crisis. “The medium of instruction had been English until a decision made by a former government to allow students to sit examinations in Sinhala or Tamil. Then when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its zenith, and Parliament was not functioning, the government issued a gazette making it mandatory for the students to answer examinations in the English language. I received more than 15 telephone calls this morning from students asking me to speak on their behalf. It is unfair to make children pay for the follies of the government. Who destroyed this country’s education system by changing the medium of instruction in schools from English to vernacular languages,” Kiriella said.

Foreign Minister Ali Sabry PC said that at the Law College entrance examination candidates were given a language paper which they could answer in the medium of their choice – it could be English, Tamil or Sinhala. “However, after they enter the Law College, the students are expected to study in the English medium. Once the candidates become students, it is the responsibility of the College to turn them into competent lawyers. The students have to pass out of the College and compete. That they cannot do without ability to work in the English language. If we allow mother tongue as the examination medium, that would produce two types of lawyers – those who can speak and work in the English language and those who cannot work in the English medium. This would allow the children coming from villages to learn and master the English language and go out of the College with proficiency in the English language, in addition to their legal skills. When we tried to do this, the Opposition always disrupted it for political gain. In the medical profession, engineering profession, IT profession and Management the medium of examination is only English. Children would not learn English until we make it mandatory for the examinations. There are some who want to limit the English language proficiency only to the rich and upper class so that they could remain in the top. This is wrong. It has to be changed,” Minister Sabry said.

He said that politicians sent their children abroad to get LLB qualifications from foreign universities and let the local children study in their mother tongue at the Law College so that the former would always have an advantage over the latter.

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Flood warning issued to the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara

Published

11 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Due to heavy rainfall received in the upper catchment areas of the Mahaweli River over the past few hours, there is a risk of minor flooding in the low-lying areas surrounding the Mahaweli River within the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara.Residents living in the above mentioned areas and motorists using roads passing through these areas are urged to exercise extreme caution and remain highly vigilant regarding the prevailing situation.

Furthermore, residents living in close proximity to the Mahaweli River in these areas are advised to remain highly alert to the situation and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves from any potential flooding.The relevant disaster management authorities are requested to take all necessary measures in response to this situation.

Latest News

Landslide Red Alerts issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya

Published

12 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide Red Alerts to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya effective from 14:00 hrs on 20.09.2026 To 14:00 hrs on 21.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, Dehiowita, Aranayake, Deraniyagala, Mawanella and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Kothmale West, Kotmale East, Ambagamuwa and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district

LEVEL II [AMBER] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Padukka in the Colombo district, Nagoda, Thawalama and Neluwa in the Galle district, Bulathsinhala, Palindanuwara, Walallawita and Agalawatta in the Kalutara district, Ganga Ihala Korale in the Kandy district, Bulathkohupitiya and Kegalle in the Kegalle district, Akuressa and Pitabeddara in the Matara district, Thalawakele in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka in the Colombo district, Niyagama and Baddegama in the Galle district, Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya in the Kalutara district, Udapalatha and Yatinuwara in the Kandy district, Galigamuwa, Warakapola and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Kotapola, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, and Eheliyagoda, Kalawana and Elapatha in the Ratnapura district.

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Development projects can deliver results to the people more quickly when the political authority and the public service work together towards a common goal – PM

Published

14 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that development projects can deliver results to the people more quickly when the political authority and the public service work together towards a common, people-oriented objective.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in a discussion held on Friday [September 18] at the Western Province Council Auditorium to review the progress of the development project to rehabilitate Rathmalana Kandawala Road and the drainage system on either side of the road, within the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council limits in the Colombo District.

The project, which commenced on September 10, 2026, is scheduled to be completed before June 30, 2027. Implemented by the Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA), the project includes the construction of a bridge at a cost of Rs. 64 million, the rehabilitation of the drainage system at a cost of Rs. 930 million, and the rehabilitation of the road at a cost of Rs. 115 million.

The Prime Minister also paid special attention to the progress of the responsibilities assigned to the Western Province Council, the Irrigation Department and the Ratmalana Divisional Secretariat in accordance with decisions taken at the previous committee meeting. Attention was also given to the current status of the plans being carried out by the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLRDC), as well as the construction and maintenance activities being undertaken by the Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA).

Commending the expedite and commendable progress of the project, the Prime Minister particularly appreciated the commitment demonstrated by officials of the relevant government institutions to work in close coordination with one another and in collaboration with the political authority.

The Prime Minister also emphasised the importance of taking measures well in advance to control flooding and minimise its impact on Colombo and several other districts in view of the rainy weather that may affect the Western Province during the latter part of this year.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, Chairperson of the Ratmalana Divisional Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament Samanmalee Gunasinghe, Chairman of the Roads Sub-Committee of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee Dewananda Suraweera, Mayor of the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Parakum Shantha, Chief Secretary of the Western Province K.G. Pradeep Pushpakumara, along with a number of government officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]