Whatever obstacles came we as a government was able to do some work people can feel, hence United National Party can win the presidential election easily stated Secretary General, Education Minister, Mr. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam Attorney at law. The minister expressed these views at a meeting recently held for the victory of United National Party presidential candidate Mr. Sajith Premedasa in Kurunegala Narammala public market premises under the patronage of Mr. Rookantha Gunathilaka Dambadeniya chief organizer of United National Party.
Minister expressing his views about the situation of the country during past government, “In 2010 at presidential election counting we were shot in the high security zone I had a narrow escape. You may can remember the situation of these areas. We created a fair and just society instead. I ask you if there is any government like our government that increased salaries of Police officers, officers of forces, public servants. Under my ministry there are two hundred and fifty thousand teachers. 17,000 officers of Sri Lanka principal service. We increased salaries in two hundred percent in those grades. There are 15 16 lakhs public servants. Ask about the reliefs given with in these three four years.” stated.
The proposal submitted by Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyawasam Attorney at law to recruit graduate teachers to teach foreign languages at government schools has been approved by the Cabinet.
The aim of the proposal is to broaden the opportunity to teach foreign languages in the local education system, enhance schools teaching foreign languages, make effective the use of language laboratories which are already established in schools, provide territory education opportunities for study of languages are some objectives of this purpose.
The knowledge of foreign languages would enhance learning opportunities and strengthen global relationship and having identifying that the education minister submitted the memorandum and after having the approval of the Cabinet on 23-1-2019 to the memorandum submitted by Education Minister the Management Services Department has granted approval to recruit 729 teachers to teach foreign languages in schools.
These teachers will be deployed in national schools where foreign languages are being taught at present and in the future to teach foreign languages in proposed national schools for grade 10 and 11 for advanced level classes.
This will be the first time graduate teachers are being recruited to teach French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Arabic and Korean languages according to the school syllabus.
According to the instructions of Education Minister Mr. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam Attorney at law steps have been taken to admit 8,000 students in two batches based on results of year 2016 and 2017 advanced level to study Diploma in Teaching.
Accordingly, enrolment of these students to 19 National Colleges of Education throughout the island commenced from 3rd of October. Admitting students to Nittambuwa Sariputta, Baticaloa, Addalaichenai National Colleges of Education on 03rd of October and Mahaweli, Siyane, Ruwanpura and Peradeniya National Colleges of Education admitted students on 15th October. As well as for Vavuniya, Jaffna, Dharga Town and Sripada National Colleges of Education on 16th of October and for Maharagama and Uva National Colleges of Education students were enlisted on 17th of October.
The education ministry has taken steps to grant bursary to 250 students with special needs who sat for the grade five scholarship examination in year 2019 August.
Only 15,000 students received grade five bursary until last year and the Cabinet has already given approval to increase up to 20,000 this year, out of those, 19,750 students will be selected based on the marks receive for grade five scholarship examination to award bursary.
But under the Cabinet decision released with regard to this instructs to grant this bursary to children with special needs based on sitting for grade five scholarship examination. This bursary fund will be given to students relevant from grade 6 till 13.
The education ministry has implemented various steps to provide quality education opportunities to all children of the country under the initiative of education minister Mr. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam Attorney at law, and among those increment of the amount of students receiving grade five bursary fund and increment of bursary payment from rupees 500/- to rupees 750/- is another remarkable move
The Education Minister Mr. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam Attorney at law stated that has decided to commence a new programme to translate Sinhala writer’s literature books in to Tamil language and Tamil writer’s works in to Sinhala language and to publish through Library and Documentation Service Board.
Minister stated this, recently at a ceremony held at Sarasvathi Hall Bambalapitiya launching ten poetry books written by Director Mr. Kandiah Padmanathan of nearest school is the best school programme.
It is pathetic that some trying to socialize an opinion the opening of newly built seven storied building of Colombo Ananda College is with a political motivation.
In order to award the contract to build a new seven storied building to replace the five storied Moore building the Education Minister Mr. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam forwarded a Cabinet paper 2016/ED/E/34 on 26th October 2016, accordingly at the Cabinet held on 08th November 2016 Cabinet decided to award the contract.
Accordingly, except laying of foundation stone for this proposed seven storied building all the other work with regard to construction was done after awarding the contract in 2016.
On 2019-10-21 former education minister said to have been informed by way of a letter to the Chairman of Election Commission that construction work was commenced in 2014 by former Secretary of Defense. But 7 days prior to the presidential election in 2015 laying of foundation stone to build this has been done through Defense Secretary even without following a procurement process.
Having knowing the fact that constructions of this building commenced 7 days before 2015 presidential elections it is misleading the election commission stating the constructions commenced in year 2014. As well as not revealing the truth to people. At that time no one complained to the election commissioner laying of foundation stone was done with the intention of gaining political advantages.
After year 2016 and years afterwards nearly 600 million rupees from financial allocations of education ministry has been spent on constructions of this building. At the discussion held about the opening of this building with additional secretaries of education ministry present principal of Ananda College, deputy principal and the team agreed upon the dates for opening, old boys and parents representatives also agreed on this. Accordingly, the approval of the election commission to hold the opening ceremony was also granted.
But some parties with narrow political opinions damaging the reputation of Ananda College it is disgusting trying to socialize that opening of relevant building of this school is with a political idea. The relevant team appearing as old Anandians and parents union are not such representatives, they are in political meetings, and they are opportunists who join ceremonies in various places.
It is shameful trying to destroy the reputation of an education institute a cultural heritage like this including teachers transferred to other schools under teacher transfer process from Ananda College, announcers who handle political meetings of a candidate of a party. Unable to bear the revolutionary change made to education of this country, hypocritical politics spreading falls among people trying to minimize this massive development work will engage in these type of shameful activities in future as well and people should be careful of such things.