News
Media Minister under fire for holding tree planting ceremony in school affected by COVID-19
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had endangered the health of a large number of students by holding a tree planting ceremony at Kengalla Maha Vidyalaya, Kandy, where a number of students and teachers had tested positive for the coronavirus, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) Joseph Stalin said.
Stalin said that despite the detection of COVID-19 patients, the Minister had organised the ceremony and that 150 guests had attended it. The school band was used at the event where physical distancing was non-existent, he said.
“There is a circular issued by the Ministry of Health advising principals not to hold ceremonies at schools due to the pandemic. We lodged a complaint with the Education Director of the Central Province Thilak Ekanayake on Thursday (11), but the event went ahead as planned on Friday. This shows how servile regional education officials are.”
Ekanayake on Thursday said the ceremony was not an educational one and that he had little knowledge of what would transpire. Stalin said that while the ceremony might not be educational technically, the Minister was using a school band, students and the school premises.
“When we asked the relevant Zonal Education Director, she said that the event had been organised by a group called Mahanuwara Api and that neither the school nor the Zonal Education is responsible for the organization of the event. If so, allowing an outside party to use a school premises and students for a ceremony was an even more serious issue.”
Stalin said that the pandemic had created a serious crisis in education and that a large number of students and teachers were contracting the virus. It was the responsibility of the government and education administrators to do their best to protect the children, he added.
“Some time ago, MP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan also held a similar event in the East and when we objected the government said it would not happen again. But this time around, a Minister has done the same. This is an indication of how much they care about the safety of children.”
Repeated attempts to contact Minister Rambukwella were unsuccessful.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
USA’s Ali Khan claims having been ‘denied’ India visa ahead of T20 World Cup
At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Business4 days agoDialog and UnionPay International Join Forces to Elevate Sri Lanka’s Digital Payment Landscape
-
News4 days agoSajith: Ashoka Chakra replaces Dharmachakra in Buddhism textbook
-
Features4 days agoThe Paradox of Trump Power: Contested Authoritarian at Home, Uncontested Bully Abroad
-
Features4 days agoSubject:Whatever happened to (my) three million dollars?
-
News3 days agoLevel I landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya extended
-
News4 days ago65 withdrawn cases re-filed by Govt, PM tells Parliament
-
Opinion6 days agoThe minstrel monk and Rafiki, the old mandrill in The Lion King – II
-
News3 days agoNational Communication Programme for Child Health Promotion (SBCC) has been launched. – PM