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Educators slam govt. for ‘unprepared’ education reforms

Published

8 months ago

2025/12/31

Teachers, principals and education professionals have said the government is unprepared to roll out proposed education reforms scheduled to take effect from next week, and warned of nationwide trade union action if the plans are implemented without adequate consultation and preparation.

Addressing a press conference in Colombo, President of the Association of Education Professionals, Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thera, said Ministry officials had indicated that the reforms would be implemented from Monday, 05 January, but claimed that the vast majority of educators were opposed to the move.

“More than 90 percent of teachers say they have not received proper training on the new syllabus or the proposed reforms,” Ven. Sumangala Thera said. He alleged that the government was attempting to suppress opposition from teachers and principals by declaring school holidays, instead of addressing their concerns.

“If the government continues with these tactics, we will have no option but to resort to trade union action at a national level,” he warned.

Meanwhile, representatives of 16 teachers’ and principals’ unions who visited the Ministry of Education at Isurupaya on Monday to seek clarification on the reforms were turned away by security officials, reportedly on the grounds that prior appointments were required.

Speaking to the media outside the Ministry, Amila Sandaruwan of the Teacher Principals’ Collective said the delegation had attempted to raise their concerns during the Public Day allocated for visitors. “We wanted to know how these reforms are to be implemented and sought to meet the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, but we were barred,” he said.

Sandaruwan accused the Government of proceeding in an “adamant” manner and claimed the reforms were being driven by a handful of non-governmental organisations closely associated with senior ministry officials. “We will not allow this to happen,” he said.

Graded Principals’ Association representative Nimal Mudunkotuwa said widespread confusion prevailed among teachers and school administrators regarding the practical aspects of implementing the reforms. “There is no clarity on school hours—whether schools are to close at 1.30 p.m. as before, or continue until 2.00 p.m. as proposed,” he said.

He added that uncertainty also remained over the number of daily teaching periods, with conflicting statements suggesting either seven or eight periods. “Schools have yet to receive syllabus modules from the Ministry, and many schools lack smart boards and internet connectivity required to implement these reforms,” Mudunkotuwa said.

Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thera strongly criticised the proposed reforms, describing them as “bastard reforms,” and accused the NPP Government of undermining the education system. He also raised objections to a unit in the proposed Grade Six English syllabus dealing with gay and lesbian relationships, claiming that senior Buddhist prelates, the Catholic Cardinal and other religious leaders had opposed its inclusion.

“The Government refuses to listen even to religious leaders,” he said.

Concerns were also raised at a National Sangha Council meeting held in Colombo on Monday evening at the Colombo Foundation Institute, organised to discuss the objectives of the proposed reforms. Addressing the gathering, Professor Venerable Induragare Dhammaratana Thera said the reforms required extensive discussion, consultation with subject experts and consideration of the experience of senior administrators.

He warned that the proposed changes could trigger the biggest crisis currently facing the country. “Implementing these reforms in this manner will harm future generations and could even destroy the present Government,” he said, likening the process to “forcing a round peg into a square hole.”

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Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak as haze from Indonesia worsens

Published

15 hours ago

2026/09/5

Priyan

This aerial photo taken from a commercial plane shows haze from Indonesian forest fires blanketing a residential district in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak state on the island of Borneo, on September 5, 2026 (Aljazeera)

Malaysia has declared a state of emergency in a district in Sarawak state after haze caused by wildfires in neighbouring Indonesia increased air pollution to “hazardous” levels.

King Sultan Ibrahim “has consented to the declaration of emergency throughout Serian Division, Sarawak, following haze conditions that have reached air pollution levels hazardous to public health and safety”, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s office said in a statement on Thursday.

The declaration followed a formal request from the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee after the region’s Air Pollutant Index reached levels warranting consideration of a local emergency.

Under the order, 647 schools in Serian will close from Monday until at least the end of next week, alongside government and private offices, plantations, construction sites and quarries, with only essential services continuing to operate.

The state’s disaster management authorities said a three-day cloud-seeding operation launched on Thursday would be extended to at least Monday, citing forecasts of “more conducive cloud formations” during that period.

Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee chairman Douglas Uggah Embas, speaking at a news conference in Kuching, stressed that the emergency applied only to Serian, not the entire state, but urged residents there to take the situation seriously.

“Please minimise outdoor activities and avoid strenuous activities outdoors,” he said.

Sarawak, in the northern part of Borneo island, has been heavily affected by haze for weeks, as have the neighbouring states of Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.

(Aljazeera)

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Sun directly overhead Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Handapangoda, Idalgashinna, Yudhaganawa, Kotiyagala and Panama about 12.08 noon today (05)

Published

18 hours ago

2026/09/5

Priyan

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is
overhead today (05) are Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Handapangoda, Idalgashinna, Yudhaganawa, Kotiyagala and Panama about 12.08 noon

News

Namal remanded until Sept. 18 over Airbus deal investigation

Published

20 hours ago

2026/09/5

Thilina Walpola

Namal Rajapaksa being brought to the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser and Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa was yesterday remanded until September 18 by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court following his arrest by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) in connection with an investigation into the controversial SriLankan Airlines Airbus aircraft transaction.

Rajapaksa appeared before the CIABOC at around 9.15 am yesterday to record a statement after being summoned over the transaction. He was taken into custody following several hours of questioning and subsequently produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate.

The investigation centres on allegations surrounding the acquisition of six Airbus A330 and eight A350 aircraft by SriLankan Airlines in 2013, in connection with an alleged USD 2 million bribe.

Former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena and his wife, Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake, had previously been named in connection with the alleged bribery.

Chandrasena was arrested on March 12 as part of an investigation launched by the CIABOC under the Anti-Corruption Act and was subsequently released on bail. He was later found dead on May 8 while on bail, with police suspecting that his death was a suicide.

Open warrants have been issued for the arrest of Wijenayake, who is named as the second suspect, and Shamindra Rajapaksa, named as the third suspect, in the case pending before the Fort Magistrate’s Court in connection with the Airbus transaction.

The investigation has also received assistance from Airbus, with a delegation from the company’s parent group in France visiting Sri Lanka during the first week of August. The delegation provided statements and other assistance to the CIABOC as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Rajapaksa’s arrest and remand yesterday mark a further development in the widening investigation into the controversial aircraft deal.