News
Yahapalana project has become victim of current political expediency – Stalin
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The ‘Langama Pasala, Hondama Pasala’ (nearest school is the best school) project, launched by previous government to develop schools, had been halted, Ceylon Teachers union (CTU) General secretary, Joseph Stalin said yesterday.
Stalin told The Island that Rs. 64.9 billion had been earmarked for the project between 2016 and 2020. Under the project 18,000 facilities were to be constructed in 9,063 schools.
“This project has been ignored since the 2019 regime change. Now, the construction of various facilities in 700 schools has been halted. These half-completed buildings have become a serious burden to schools. In some cases, old buildings were demolished to make way for the new ones to be built.”
The CTU General Secretary said that 40% of the funds had been released to provincial councils in 2016. The project was riddled with corruption from the beginning, and the CTU had even lodged a complaint with the Bribery Commission, Stalin said.
“For example, money was allocated for a building at Nachchaduwa Sinhala School. However, there is no such school. There are many such examples. However, the current administration can’t just abandon this project. The government cannot halt half completed projects of the previous government. Instead of trying to finish the half-built buildings, this government has launched its own project to develop 1,000 schools.”
Stalin said that they had expected the current Minister of Education to adopt a more holistic approach to education, given his qualifications and experience. “However, the situation remains the same, he said.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dr. Kristalina Georgieva, at Temple Tress on the 17th of February
Dr. Georgieva, commended the Government’s efforts in stabilizing the country’s economy and in managing recent economic and natural shocks. She noted that Cyclone Ditwah had caused severe impacts, especially on economically vulnerable communities, underscoring the importance of targeted support and resilience-building measures.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the IMF’s continued support to Sri Lanka, particularly in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. The PM further emphasized that real economic recovery and development must directly benefit the economically vulnerable groups and ensure inclusive growth, highlighting the need for Sri Lanka to attract quality and sustainable investments, particularly in the tourism sector.
The importance of reforming the education system to focus not only on knowledge acquisition but also on skills development and employability was also discussed
The meeting was attended by the Chief of Staff of the IMF Managing Director Andreas Bauer, Director, Asia and Pacific Department, Dr. Krishna Srinivasan Division Chief (Strategic Communications), Communications Department, Pierre Mejlak Resident Representative for Sri Lanka Dr. Martha Woldemichael, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, and Deputy Governor Dr. C. Amarasekara, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri and Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to relocate the Deniyaya Base Hospital after constructing a new hospital with a capacity of 300 beds at an estimated cost of Rupees 6,000 million.
The Southern Provincial Department of Health has acquired a plot of land in Handford estate which is approximately 03 kilometres away from the town for this purpose.
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