සෞන්දර්ය දරුවන්ගේ ජීවිතයේ කොටසක් ලෙස ගොඩනගන්නට අපි වගබලා ගන්නවා...

දකුණු පළාත් සංස්කෘතික හා කලා කටයුතු අමාත්‍යංශය සහ මාගම් සහෘදයෝ, ගාලු සහෘදයෝ සහ දුරුතු සහෘදයෝ කලා සංගම් එකමුතුවෙන් දකුණු පළාත ආවරණය වන පරිදි පවත්වන ලද දක්ෂිණ පුනරුද කලා උළෙලට සමගාමීව ඔක්තෝබර් 11 වැනි දා හම්බන්තොට වෙරළ උද්‍යානයේ පැවති හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්‍රික් කලා උළලේ ප්‍රධාන ආරාධිතයා ලෙස සහභාගී වෙමින් අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරිය මේ බව පැවසීය.

දක්ෂිණ පුනරුද කලා උළෙල, දකුණු පළාත් සංස්කෘතික හා කලා කටයුතු අමාත්‍යංශය සහ මාගම් සහෘදයෝ, ගාලු සහෘදයෝ සහ දුරුතු සහෘදයෝ කලා සංගම් එකමුතුවෙන් දකුණු පළාත ආවරණය වන පරිදි පැවැත්වෙන අතර එහි හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්‍රික් කලා උළලේ ප්‍රධාන ආරාධිතයා ලෙස අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරිය සහභාගී විය. මෙම කලා උළෙල ඔක්තෝබර් 10,11දෙදින පුරා සිනමා හා නාට්‍ය දර්ශන, විවිධ ප්‍රදර්ශන කුටි ඇතුළු කලා හා සංස්කෘතිකාංග රැසක් සමඟින් කලාකරුවන් රැසක එකමුතුවෙන් පවත්වනු ලැබිණි.

මෙහි දී උත්සව සභාව ආමන්ත්‍රණය කරමින් අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරිය පසුගිය මාසයක කාලයක් පුරාවට දක්ෂිණ පුනරුද කලා උළෙලට සමගාමීව දකුණු පළාත ආවරණය වන ලෙස පැවති කලා වැඩසටහන් අගය කිරීමට ලක්කළ අතර දියුණු සංස්කෘතික මිනිසුන් සහ දියුණු සංස්කෘතික සමාජයක් රට තුළ ගොඩනැගීම වෙනුවෙන් මෙවන් අර්ථවත් වැඩසටහන් මහෝපකාරී වන බව ප්‍රකාශ කළා ය.

වැඩිදුරටත් අදහස් දැක්වූ අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරිය,

"සංවර්ධනය, දියුණුව කියන්නෙ පාරවල්, වරායවල්, ගොඩනැගිලි හදන එකම නෙවෙයි. අපිට ආර්ථික සංවර්ධනය අවශ්‍යයි. හොඳ ආර්ථික අවස්ථා අවශ්‍යයි. නමුත් ඒ සියල්ලම අපි කරන්නෙ අපේ ජීවිත වඩා අර්ථවත් කරන්න. අපේ ජීවිතවලට සතුට එකතුකරන්න. අපේ සමාජය දියුණු තැනකට රැගෙන යන්න. අපට සහකම්පනය දැනෙන්න.ඒ වගේම සමාජය මේ තියෙන තැනින් ඉදිරියට ගෙනවිත් ආරක්ෂිත බවින්, ආදරයෙන් පිරුණු පවුල්, ආදරය රැකවරණය ලැබූණු දරුවන් සිටින සමාජයක් ගොඩනැගීම තමයි අපේ අවසාන අරමුණ. මේ සියල්ලම අපි සිදුකරන්නෙ ඒ වෙනුවෙන්.අපේ සමාජය තුළ සියලුදෙනාට ආරක්ෂාව දැනෙන, සියලුදෙනාට සෙනෙහස ආදරය දැනෙන කවුරුත් කොහෙත්ම තනිවෙලා නැති බව දැනෙන දියුණු සමාජයක් තමයි අපි ගොඩනගන්න උත්සාහ කරන්නෙ." යනුවෙන් ප්‍රකාශ කලා ය.

එමෙන්ම 2026 වසරේ සිට ක්‍රියාත්මක වන නව අධ්‍යාපන ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණ හරහා සෞන්දර්ය පන්තිකාමරයකට,පොතකට සීමා වූ විෂයක් ලෙස නොව දරුවන්ගේ ජීවිතයේ කොටසක් බවට පත් කිරීමට වගබලාගන්නා බවත් සෞන්දර්ය අගයන්නට විඳින්නට හැකි සමාජයක් ගොඩනැගීමට පාසලෙත් උසස් අධ්‍යාපන ක්ෂේත්‍රය තුළත් කටයුතු කරන බව අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරිය ප්‍රකාශ කලා ය. එමෙන්ම මෙහි දී හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ කලාකරුවන් අගයමින් සම්මාන ප්‍රදානය කිරීමද අග්‍රාමාත්‍යවරිය විසින් සිදුකරන ලදී.

මෙහි දී අදහස් දැක්වූ වෘත්තීය අධ්‍යාපන නියෝජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය නලින් හේවගේ මහතා,

"පසුගිය කාලය පුරාවට ඔබට පොතක් , නාට්‍යක්, චිත්‍රපටයක් රසවිඳින්නට සුදුසු වටපිටාවක් හිමිවුණේ නෑ. ඔබට ජීවිතය මඟහැරුණා. අපි මේ උත්සහ කරන්නෙ වසර ගණනාවක් අහිමි වු ඒ ජීවිතය ඔබට නැවත උදාකර දෙන්න. අද මේ වේදිකාවේ ඉදිරිපත්කිරීම් සිදුකරන දරුවන් දවසක කලාවේ මහා වනස්පතින් බවට පත්වෙන්න ඕන.අපි ඔබට මැතිවරණ පොරොන්දුවක් වුණා සතියකට දවසක් ඔබේ ගමට කලා අංගයක්, රසවින්දන වැඩසටහනක් ගේන බවට. ඒ උත්සාහය තමයි අපි මේ ගත්තේ. මෙය මෙතනින් නතරවෙන්නෙ නෑ. දැවැන්ත මානව පරිවර්තනයක් වෙනුවෙන් මේ වෑයම ඉදිරියටත් රැගෙන යනවා. ඉතින් ඒ වෙනුවෙන් විශාල වෙහෙසක් දැරූ දකුණු පළාතේ රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන් සහ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්ට විශේෂයෙන් ස්තුතිවන්ත වනවා. "

මෙහිදී අදහස් දැක්වූ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී, හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්‍රික් සම්බන්ධීකරණ කමිටු සභාපති නිහාල් ගලප්පත්ති මහතා,

හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්‍රික්කයට අද ඓතිහාසික දවසක්. ’පොහොසත් රටක් - ලස්සන ජීවිතයක් ’ අපේ තේමා පාඨය සාක්ෂාත් කරන්නට සෑම ක්ෂේත්‍රයක් ම සම්බන්ධ කරගත් ඒ දැවැන්ත වැඩපිළිවෙළේ ප්‍රධාන අරමුණ බලපෑමකින් තොර ලෙංගතු භාවයකින් යුතු සාමය, සමගිය, සහකම්පනයෙන් පිරිපුන් සංස්කෘතික මිනිසෙක් මේ මහපොළොවට බිහි කිරීම. අපි ඒ බලාපොරොත්තු වූ වෙනස ඔබේ ජීවිතවලට ලංවෙලා තියෙනවා කියලා අපි විශ්වාස කරනවා. 2004 ඇති වූ සුනාමි ඛේදවාචකයෙන් පස්සෙ මේ හම්බන්තොට පුරවරය තනිකරම හිස් භූමියක් බවට පත්වුණා. මේ නගරය ඒ හිස් බවින් මුදවන්න එතෙක් මෙතෙක් මෙහි දෙශපාලන බලය හිමි වෙලා තිබූ දේශපාලන අධිකාරිය මැදිහත් වුණේ නැ. ඒ නිසා අපි කල්පනා කරා හුදෙකලාවෙලා ඉන්න මේ මිනිස්සුන්ට ශක්තියක් වෙන්න මේ කටයුත්ත ආරම්භ කරන්න. අද ඒ ගමනට ශක්තියක් වෙන්න සියලුදෙනා එක්වී සිටිනවා."

මෙම අවස්ථාව සඳහා ගෞරවණීය මහා සංඝරත්නය, කතෝලික පූජකවරුන් සහ මවුලවිතුමන්ලා ඇතුළු සර්ව ආගමික නායකයින් ද පළාත් සභා හා පළාත් පාලන නියෝජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය රුවන් සෙනරත්, ඉඩම් හා වාරිමාර්ග නියෝජ්‍ය අමාත්‍ය අරවින්ද සෙනරත්, පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී අතුල වෙළඳගොඩ, පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී වෛද්‍ය සාලිය සඳරුවන්, පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී තිලංක යූ. ගමගේ , ඉන්දියානු කන්සිලර් ජෙනරාල් හර්වින්ද සිං, දකුණු පලාත් ප්‍රධාන ලේකම් නීතීඥ සුනිල් අලහකෝන්, හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්‍රික් ලේකම් බිමල් ඉන්ද්‍රජිත්, ගාල්ල දිස්ත්‍රික් ලේකම් W.A ධර්මසිරි යන මහත්වරුන් ඇතුලු රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරීන්, කලාකරුවන්, ආරාධිත අමුත්තන් ඇතුළු පිරිසක් සම්බන්ධ විය.

අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය මාධ්‍ය අංශය

It falls under our responsibility as adults to open the paths for them to move forward.

Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that children of this country possess the strength, ability, and attitude required to build the nation, and it is the responsibility of adults to open the paths for them to move forward.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the inauguration ceremony of “Sri Lanka Skills Expo 2025” held on October 10.

The exhibition, organized for the third time with the aim of addressing the youth unemployment in Sri Lanka, will be held on October 10 and 11 at the Main Hall of Temple Trees. It is a joint effort by the Industry Sector Skills Councils (ISSC) and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education.

Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated:

This is a turning point in the education transformation process we have initiated. It is expected to expand the opportunities available within education itself while opening the path for children to identify those opportunities themselves. These programs are organized to provide such experiences through education.

This exhibition will lead you for understanding your future path. Considering your interests, your parents’ wishes, and your abilities, this is a valuable opportunity to learn about the emerging opportunities in today’s world.

The generation now completing education and preparing to enter society faces numerous challenges. With the rapid changes brought by technology, the world is transforming faster than anyone could imagine. With society leads for changes, professions change too. The traditional paths we once followed no longer guarantee success. Therefore, our educational journey must adapt with a proper understanding of these transformations.

By initiating such programmes, we aim to integrate you into our national development plan. These initiatives will help you gain a better understanding of the paths we are taking to strengthen the economy and how you, together with your teachers and parents, can actively contribute to this development process.

This exhibition opens a new world and a new society. You will be able to learn about new global trends and realize that there are more opportunities for you in society than you may have thought. There is a place for you, and we are waiting for you to step forward. Take this opportunity and move ahead with confidence. As you move forward, we expect you to support us in developing this country. Our responsibility as adults is to create and open these opportunities for you. Your responsibility is to make use of them and lead the nation forward.

I truly believe that the children gathered here today have the strength, ability, and attitude needed to build our society. You are the generation that will take on the leadership of the future. We will ensure that you receive the educational foundation and socio-economic environment needed to achieve that leadership. It is our responsibility as adults to make that happen, and we will do our part. We invite you to take up this opportunity and lead the country forward.

The event was also attended by Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Mr. Sunil Handunnetti, Deputy Minister Mr. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Mr. Nalin Hewage, Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, and several other distinguished guests.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that officials engaged in the transport sector, together with all others working in the field, are dedicated to improving the country’s transport services as a sector that is responsive to the needs of the people.

The Prime Minister made these remarks on October 8 in Parliament, participating in the debate on the supplementary estimates of the Ministry of Transport related to the 2026 Budget.

The Prime Minister further stated that the supplementary estimate proposal presented by the Ministry of Transport serves as a good example of transparency and financial discipline within a ministry. When certain projects face obstacles toward the end of the year, obtaining allocations through a supplementary estimate reflects sound financial management and accountability.

She noted that in the past, projects were not always carried out through proper budgetary allocations, and the Ministry of Transport had long been perceived as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country. However, this perception is now changing, with steps being taken to eliminate corruption and malpractice.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Ministry of Transport, which is responsible for public transportation and highways, two critical areas of national infrastructure, is now being systematically strengthened to better serve the needs of the public. The Prime Minister commended the Ministry’s efforts to identify its challenges and implement appropriate solutions, adding that this supplementary allocation provides an opportunity to further transform the Ministry into an efficient, people-oriented institution that works in the public interest.

Highlighting the connection between poor financial management and the country’s economic crisis, the Prime Minister stated that weaknesses in project identification and implementation had caused serious setbacks to sectors such as transport and highways. Many projects in the past were poorly planned or executed due to decisions made for personal or corrupt motives rather than in the public interest. Consequently, numerous projects were delayed or left incomplete.

She further explained that similar issues were observed across other ministries as well, requiring the Government to reallocate funds to continue or complete previously suspended or abandoned projects. This, she noted, is one of the underlying factors of the broader economic challenges the country faces. The supplementary allocations, therefore, are intended to complete projects in a way that minimizes harm to the country and its people.

The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of improving public transportation so that people can travel safely, efficiently, and comfortably. She stressed that public transport must be accessible to all, including children, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, and expressed appreciation for the steps taken by the Ministry to address these needs.

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya mentioned that the Ministry of Education has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Transport as part of efforts to improve school infrastructure. The Prime Minister noted that developing school infrastructure is not limited to constructing buildings—it also involves improving roads leading to schools, enhancing public transport services for students, and ensuring their quality and safety.

The Prime Minister stated that discussions have been initiated with the Ministry of Transport to address transportation issues affecting remote and rural schools that lack proper access roads. These efforts are essential to safeguard the transportation rights and safety of children in those areas.

She added that in the past, school transport drivers and attendants showed a strong sense of responsibility and care toward their passengers, ensuring children’s safety with dedication. She emphasized that this sense of responsibility and attitude should be revived and welcomed the Ministry’s current efforts to encourage such positive change.

The Prime Minister further highlighted the importance of improving facilities for persons with disabilities and senior citizens at railway stations and within trains, as well as ensuring adequate sanitary facilities for passengers.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Sensitive social issues should not be used for political advancement.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated that the Government does not grant any special privileges or promote anyspecific group of people and emphasized that sensitive social issues should not be used for political advantage.

The Prime Minister made these remarks on October 8 in Parliament, responding to a question raised by Opposition MP Kavinda Jayawardena regarding the LGBTIQ+ community.

Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated that sensitive social issues should not be used for political advantage and that such matters must be handled with care, as some communities already face difficulties because of them. She noted that the Constitution ensures equality for all and reaffirmed that, in line with the Government’s policy, no special privileges are granted or promotion extended to any group.

Responding to another question regarding inmates, the Prime Minister stated that the restructuring of prisons is being examined by the Minister of Justice and the relevant ministry. Measures are being taken to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children under five, and judicial reforms are needed to prevent children from being kept in such facilities.

Commenting on educational reforms, the Prime Minister noted that teacher training colleges have not been revised for a long time and that attention has not been given to resource management and operations. She stated that curricula should align with the current context and upcoming educational reforms.

The Prime Minister added that the Government aims to ensure all teachers become degree holders and to upgrade teacher training colleges to degree-awarding institutions. The Kuliyapitiya Teachers Training College already confers degrees, and the Government plans to extend this to the remaining 19 training colleges.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in a discussion with the representatives of the United Nations Technical Electoral Needs Assessment Mission held on 7 October at the Parliamentary Premises.

The discussion focused on assessing the conduct of previous elections in Sri Lanka in terms of transparency and inclusivity, as well as evaluating the institutional, legal, and operational frameworks governing elections. It also aimed to understand the capacity and readiness of key electoral institutions, including the Election Commission, and the engagement of political stakeholders.

The representatives of the UN Technical Electoral Needs Assessment Mission noted Sri Lanka’s established electoral mechanisms and reiterated their readiness to assist in addressing challenges to ensure transparency and integrity in the electoral process. Discussions also centered on enhancing women’s and minority community participation, digitalizing aspects of the electoral process, and exploring the potential for enabling overseas voting for Sri Lankan citizens.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized the importance of viewing the electoral process holistically and underscored the need to encourage women’s participation not only as candidates but also as active voters. She further reiterated that preventing violence, corruption, and the misuse of state resources is essential to ensuring that elections are conducted in a free, fair, and democratic manner.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, and senior officials from the United Nations Headquarters and UNDP Sri Lanka, including Michele Griffin, Director of the Electoral Assistance Division, DPPA; Dan Malinovich, Electoral Policy Specialist; Amanda Stark, Political Affairs Officer, Asia and the Pacific Division, DPPA-DPO; and Mikyong Kim, Political/Electoral Affairs Officer, Electoral Assistance Division, DPPA.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

The Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the official Launching Ceremony of the RMIT-UGC joint research program held today (Oct 02) at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo.

This official Launching Ceremony is a collaborative value designing between RMIT University of Australia and University Grants Commission (UGC) for Doctoral Training aiming to training young academics of Sri Lanka by bridging knowledge, advancing research and innovation along with nurturing future readers. The program is conducted in partnership with the University of Peradeniya, University of Moratuwa, University of Ruhuna, and the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

On this occasion, 30 scholarships were awarded to the students for Doctoral Training.

Addressing the event, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya commended the significance of this partnership with RMIT in strengthening the capacity of academics and researchers, and underscored the government’s need for active contribution of researchers, academics, practitioners, and experts to effectively addressing the critical areas the country is currently facing.

The Prime Minister further emphasized the importance of moving beyond traditional approaches and adopting more interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary strategies. The Prime Minister urged the academics who received the scholarships today to take up leadership in guiding the country toward sustainable and inclusive development.

The event was attended by the Acting High Commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Lalita Kapur, Chairman of UGC, Senior Professor Kapila Seneviratne, Vice Chairman of UGC, RMIT Representatives, Chancellors, vice Chancellors, deans of Universities,Members of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, officials of UGC and academics.

Prime Minister’s Media Division