Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the government is currently working to initiate new projects across every area of Sri Lanka and to bring the necessary investments to rural areas in order to improve the participation of the communities in strengthening the national economy.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a public gathering held on Saturday (12th) in Nanattan, Mannar.

Prime Minister further stated:

“Our country has reached a decisive point. The government of the National People’s Power (NPP)  understands the expectations of the people. The general public came together despite the ethnic and religious barriers to exercise their voting right against  corruption in politics that existed in this country. Consequently, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was able to become the President in 2024. A month later, we formed a Parliament that will initiate in changing the history. Today, we have a government made up of 159 members. There is now a strong group in Parliament standing against corruption and a government that represents all ethnicities, religions, and regions. For the first time in history, we have formed a government made by a single party that represents everyone. The people are the ones who made this victory possible and they are the true victors in this cause.

We are committed to protecting the trust the people have placed in us and to fulfill their expectations.

You are well aware of how weak the economy was when we came to power. Officially, we had been declared a bankrupt nation before the world. For many years, Sri Lanka had no economic growth and was in a debt-ridden economy. The tourism sector had collapsed. Due to the corruption in political authority, investors were unwilling to invest the country. Today, we have changed all that.  We have managed to steer the economy towards growth leading to investments being restored while the confidence in Sri Lanka is increasing internationally.

We are working to start new projects in every area of Sri Lanka to bring the necessary investments to the rural sector, with the aim of improving the participation of rural communities in the national economy.

The first budget of the NPP government has passed. Even though the economy is not yet strong, we focused on two main priorities in the budget: one was to develop infrastructure necessary for economic growth, and the other was to provide relief to people burdened by economic hardships. That’s why we have increased and extended the period of Aswesuma benefits. Further, vouchers to buy schoolbooks was distributed at schools with less than 300 students.

Previous governments were a burden to the people. But today, we have a very small Cabinet of Ministers. The government is no longer a burden to the people. We have reduced expenses, minimized losses, and eliminated corruption.

Because the government  is not a burden to the people, it was able to provide relief to the people. Through this budget, the basic salaries of  the public service has been increased. They have been given the opportunity to work freely. Decisions are now made on statistical data and not based on political preferences. What we expect is an independent public service. We are in need of a people-centered government as well as a public service which should be an efficient, corruption-free and people-sensitive. We have already created the necessary environment for that.

In order to develop the rural economy, the government has allocated a large amount of funding through this year’s budget. But, to ensure that these allocations are used properly to serve the people, the local government institutions need to be cleaned up. If the leaders who represents the villages are corrupt, the funds allocated will become worthless. That is why the upcoming local government elections has become extremely significant and decisive.”

The event was attended by the Members of Parliament Jegadeeswaran and S .Thilakanadan, public representatives, and candidates of local government election representing the NPP.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman launched a fierce critique of the political hypocrisy surrounding the Batalanda Commission report during Thursday’s (10) parliamentary session.

Rahuman pointed to the violent actions of the JVP, which had devastating effects on politicians, police officers, and civilians, as detailed in the Commission’s final report.

He said that the violence had disrupted vital services and created a state of lawlessness, severely affecting the public.

The MP accused political opponents of exploiting the Batalanda issue for electoral advantage, noting that for 36 years, no proposals were made to investigate the assassination of JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera.

He criticized the JVP for forming “probationary” governments with Chandrika Kumaratunga and backing Ranil Wickremesinghe in the yahapalana effort, yet failing to address the Batalanda issue during their tenures.

Rahuman also questioned the current attacks on Wickremesinghe, highlighting that many of his critics had previously collaborated with him. He called attention to the JVP’s statements regarding Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s alleged involvement in a Matale mass grave and the distribution of pamphlets on the subject during the 2022 Galle Face protests.

The MP called for accountability, questioning why no proposals were put forward on these issues when the current government came into power. He also criticized the NPP for its leaders, who, despite being involved in suppressions during the 80s and 90s, now sought positions within the government. Rahuman accused them of hypocrisy, warning against dragging the Batalanda issue into the ongoing election.Rahuman said that the historical wrongs committed by JVP political leaders cannot be erased, regardless of attempts to downplay them.

The country’s education system is facing a severe crisis, marked by a growing shortage of teachers for the G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) classes, particularly in urban national schools, says the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), which highlights the government’s failure to take meaningful action despite acknowledging a deficit of approximately 30,000 teachers.

CTU Secretary Joseph Stalin told the media on Thursday that national schools, particularly in urban areas such as Colombo, are severely affected. “Existing teachers are overwhelmed with excessive workloads, and there is a critical need for qualified educators, especially English-medium graduates in subjects like science, mathematics, and IT,” Stalin said, describing the situation as a “serious crisis.” He warned that the teacher shortage is undermining the quality of education for thousands of students preparing for university entrance.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, in a speech to Parliament earlier this year, confirmed that over 40,000 teaching vacancies exist across the country, with 2,652 of these in national schools. Despite efforts to fill these vacancies, bureaucratic hurdles and legal challenges have delayed progress, leaving both students and educators in a precarious position. Former Education Minister Susil Premajayantha’s attempts to resolve the crisis last year were unsuccessful, according to industry sources.

As the teacher shortage deepens, many students and parents have turned to the private tuition sector to compensate for the gaps in the formal education system. Professor Wasantha Athukorala, Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Peradeniya, revealed that the tutoring industry has ballooned into a Rs. 210 billion sector. “Over Rs. 200 billion is circulating in the tutoring sector, with an increasing reliance on private tuition to fill the void left by the shortage of teachers in schools,” Prof. Athukorala said.

Industry sources report that private tutoring has become a lucrative business, particularly for A/L students, with estimates indicating that tutors collectively earn Rs. 210 billion annually. This figure excludes income from smaller private classes, which are increasingly held in urban areas. The booming tutoring industry is a stark reflection of the failure of the formal education system to meet students’ needs. Of the total revenue, Rs. 80 billion is generated from A/L students, underscoring the growing dependence on private tuition rather than state-run education.

Prof. Athukorala also raised concerns about the detrimental effects of late-night tuition sessions, which have become increasingly common. Classes that run well into the night, sometimes until midnight, place additional stress on students who are already burdened by their academic workloads. Moreover, the informal tutoring sector remains largely unregulated, with minimal oversight and no taxation framework in place.

The Ministry of Education has reported a significant shortage of teachers in key subjects, including English, Science, and Mathematics, with nearly 30,000 vacancies nationwide. However, efforts to fill these gaps have been largely ineffective, leaving schools struggling to cope. Teacher unions have raised alarms over the declining attendance rates in schools, particularly in A/L and O/L classes, as more families opt for private tuition to ensure their children’s academic success.