“Reform process must expand and protect the right to free education”

A group of academics, professionals, and social activists yesterday issued a joint statement backing the government’s education reforms and condemning attacks on Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya by sections of the Opposition.

The statement described the attacks as hateful and indecent, warning that such conduct promotes misogyny, undermines women’s political leadership, and restricts space for constructive debate on urgently needed reforms.

Full text of the statement titled ‘Calling on the Government to Preserve the Credibility of Ongoing Education Reforms Amidst Vulgar and Hateful Propaganda’: We, the undersigned, are closely monitoring the educational reforms currently being rolled out by the government with the aim of designing a system of education to suit the future of the country, as well as the public discourse being created within society about those reforms by various parties. The attacks being directed at the Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya by certain opposition groups and individuals are not only hateful, indecent, and a disgrace to the moral values of any civilized society, they also normalise misogynistic attitudes that belittle progressive women’s political leadership and shrink the space needed for constructive engagement and a meaningful discourse on urgently needed education reforms.

It is widely acknowledged that our country requires an education system grounded in forward-looking principles, as articulated in the National People’s Power (NPP) Education Policy, which is now the government policy after the approval of an overwhelming majority of the people. As clearly established in the National People’s Power Education Policy, the new education system should view education not merely as a commodity but as a process for developing more advanced and civilized citizens through a progressive approach grounded in visionary leadership, ethics, integrity, social mobility, community participation, increased inclusion of diverse social groups, and effective communication.

We further emphasize that these reforms should aim at and be implemented in a manner that:

·   ensures equal access to education for all segments of society.

·   eliminates the severe disparities in the access to edutation among the privileged and underprivileged groups.

·   affirms the state’s responsibility to provide education to all

·   equips learners with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, practices, and values required to become mature and democratic citizens

·   contributes to employment generation that meets changing social needs and enhances productivity.

·   embraces cultural diversity and pluralism across all nationalities and communities.

·   eliminates discrimination against any social group.

·   promotes social, economic, and environmental well-being and quality of life.

·   responds effectively to both global and local conditions.

Moreover, this reform process must expand and protect the right to free education for both present and future generations.

There is no doubt that such a far-reaching, transformative, and positive reform initiative is a serious undertaking that demands a high level of responsibility from all institutions within the education system.

However, the conduct of the National Institute of Education (NIE)—one of the key institutions entrusted with this responsibility—has raised serious concerns about the credibility of this agenda for transformation. Allegations related to editorial errors and problematic textbook content warrant careful and serious consideration. However, the delays and lapses in responsibility on the part of the National Institute of Education is deeply problematic. In this context, we urge the government to take the following steps to restore public confidence in this critical reform process:

1. Review the the new textbooks for Grades 1 to 6 as well as future text books to correct tgeir editorial errors and mistakes in content through an independent mechanism, separate from the NIE officials responsible for the current process. This requires maintaining mutual understanding through effective coordination among all institutions and government agencies responsible to lead and implement the transformation of the education system.

2. Restructure the National Institute of Education through a specially appointed committee, commission, or mechanism, following a comprehensive review of its role and performance in overseeing school education content.

3. During this period, conduct a more formal and inclusive dialogue on education reforms with relevant stakeholders including Teachers’ unions, based on the principles of the NPP Education Policy, while ensuring transparency and public accountability.

4. Allocate a substantial portion of the national budget to ensure that public expenditure on education reaches the target of 6% of GDP.

At the same time, the government must intervene decisively and with confidence, in line with how civilised socieites deal with these issues, without yielding to propagations that dehumanize and degrade sexuality and identity. The crude and hateful rhetoric propagated by certain groups run counter to the fundamental objective of educational reform: the development of a progressive and mature citizenry that respects all social identities. We remind the government that this transformative vision for education continues to receive strong support not only from the majority of the academic and professional community, but also from the broader public. This support remains steadfast for an educational system grounded in the principles outlined above—one that refuses to be derailed by the hateful, immoral, and uncultured conduct of a small minority.

Signatories of the statement are: Prof. Emeritus Jayadeva Uyangoda, Prof. Emeritus Jagath Weerasinghe, Prof. Anbahan Ariyadurai, Prof. Uthpala Jayawardena, Prof. Rohan Fernando, Prof. Prince Jayadevan, Dr. S. Arivalzahan, Prof. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, Dr. N. Varathan, Sandun Thudugala (Law & Society Trust), Dr. Mariadas Alfred, Dr. Athulasiri Samarakoon, Senior Lecturer Saminathan Wimal, Dr. Dileepa Withrana, Dr. S. Selvaganesh, Vangeesa Sumanasekera (Colombo School of Philosophy), Eng. M. Sooriasegaram, Vidura Munasinghe (Attorney-at-Law), Dr. Amali Wedagedara, Senior Lecturer Janaha Selvaras, Dr. Thyagaraja Waradas, Sanjee Goonathilake (Social Activist), Dr. Visakesa Chandrasekaram, Senior Lecturer Sithumina Rathnamalala, Dr. Vivimarie Vander Poorten, Shreen Saroor (Social Activist), and Hiranyada Devasiri (Researcher)

The Iranian Embassy in Colombo has defended the Iranian government’s handling of recent unrest, claiming that initially peaceful economic protests were later hijacked by violent groups with alleged foreign links.

In a statement titled ‘Unrest in Iran: From Reality to Distortion,’ issued by the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Division yesterday, the Embassy said public dissent, including protests, is a normal feature of democratic societies and a legitimate means for citizens to convey concerns to authorities.

According to the statement, Iran has faced years of what it described as unlawful and unjust sanctions, which have placed economic pressure on the population. These conditions, it said, led to protests by merchants in Tehran between December 28 and 31, aimed at raising concerns over economic policies.

Full text of the statement: In democratic societies, governments continuously seek to receive the opinions of the public regarding their policies and decisions. These opinions are regularly communicated to authorities through parliamentary representatives and, at times, through political parties, media outlets, surveys, and even protest gatherings. In fact, in societies where public protests are absent, the democratic and popular nature of such governments should be seriously questioned.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, over the past years, has faced various unlawful, illegitimate and unjust sanctions, primarily because Iran refused to allow its national destiny to be dictated by the United States or other self-proclaimed great powers. As a result, the Iranian people have endured significant economic pressures while steadfastly upholding their principles and ideals.

This situation has led to certain criticisms and protests regarding economic policies. From December 28 to 31, Tehran’s merchants staged demonstrations, attempting to directly convey their grievances to the country’s economic authorities. Immediately, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, through official directives, acknowledged the merchants’ protests and issued orders for the establishment of specialized committees to address these issues.

Simultaneously, as these meetings and specialized committees began their work, the peaceful, professional protests of the merchants were gradually diverted by certain elements. From January 1 to 7, these protests, which had remained entirely peaceful until that point, began to escalate into violence. At this stage, specific elements infiltrated the ranks of ordinary citizens, attempting to damage urban infrastructure during the demonstrations.

According to documented reports, from January 8 onward, the violent actions of these specific groups escalated into outright acts of terrorism, as they opened fire on police forces and ordinary citizens using firearms. Their objective was to increase the number of casualties and injuries, regardless of whether the victims were law enforcement personnel or civilians.

Concurrently, media outlets affiliated with the Zionist regime, by distorting reports and statistics, engaged in relentless efforts to shape the perceptions of international observers against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the country’s national security. In this context, the President of the United States, employing highly undiplomatic language, openly threatened Iran and promised military action by both the U.S. and the Zionist regime.

As a result, two entirely distinct fronts emerged within the country: the terrorists and rioters, who had no goal other than destruction, killing, and chaos, and the general populace, alongside law enforcement, who sought peace and aimed to confront opportunists.

On Monday, January 12, citizens across all Iranian cities took to the streets in large numbers to express their strong condemnation of the terrorist groups that had destroyed mosques, schools, banks, subway systems, ambulances, and other urban infrastructure. They called on national authorities to take decisive action against these rioters.

At present, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran possesses sufficient documentation and evidence proving the links of these rioters with certain intelligence services, including Mossad. This information, along with the severe threats made by the U.S. President to attack Iran, has been submitted to the United Nations and to the Secretary-General of the organization.

The Islamic Republic of Iran expects impartial media outlets, rather than repeating baseless claims propagated by news agencies affiliated with the Zionist regime, to align themselves with the Iranian people and accurately reflect the facts.

It is important to recall that, following the brutal massacres in Gaza, the Zionist regime, during a twelve-day series of attacks on Iranian cities in June 2025, killed more than one thousand Iranian citizens, with the United States regime complicit in these crimes.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF) has successfully concluded a multi-phase humanitarian relief programme to support 36 journalists across the country who were severely affected by the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, said a release.

Recognising that journalists are often among the first responders during disasters—yet frequently overlooked as victims themselves—the Forum initiated this intervention to support media professionals who suffered damage to their homes, loss of livelihoods, and destruction of essential work equipment. Importantly, the relief initiative extended beyond SLMMF membership, assisting affected journalists from Sinhalese, Tamil, and Muslim communities, reaffirming the Forum’s commitment to inclusivity and solidarity within the media sector.

The assistance was provided to journalists in the districts of Colombo, Kandy, Puttalam, Gampaha, Badulla, Kegalle, and Anuradhapura. Relief packages included sanitation kits, dry ration packs, essential household items, kitchen utensils, and direct financial assistance, addressing both immediate and short-term needs.

This humanitarian effort was made possible through the generous support of the Qatar Charity Sri Lanka Office, JJ Foundation Chairman Mr. Muhammad Haneef, and prominent businessman Mr. Peerkan Rizvi, whose contributions played a vital role in the programme’s success.

As part of the initiative, representatives of the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum personally visited the homes of 20 affected journalists in the Colombo, Kandy, Gampaha, and Puttalam districts to assess ground realities and extend direct support. In a further step to help journalists resume their professional responsibilities, SLMMF partnered with the Colombo District Mosques Federation to facilitate the replacement of professional equipment for two journalists in Colombo whose tools were destroyed by floodwaters.

Commenting on the initiative, M.B.M. Fairooz, President of the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, stated “Journalists play a critical role in keeping the public informed during times of crisis, often at great personal risk. Unfortunately, many of them also become victims of the same disasters they report on. Through this programme, we aimed not only to provide material assistance but also to stand in solidarity with our colleagues and strengthen the sense of brotherhood within the media fraternity.”

Fairooz also expressed his sincere appreciation to the donor organizations, individual contributors, and members of the SLMMF Executive Committee for their collective efforts, reiterating that the Forum remains committed to safeguarding the welfare and dignity of journalists regardless of ethnicity or religious affiliation.