Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that, given the prevailing situation, it is necessary to be strategic and to make certain adjustments within the budget while properly strengthening the investments ensuring that actions are discharged on proper policies.
The Prime Minister made these remarks on 02nd of December while participating in the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025 held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo.
More than 500 companies, representatives of various institutions, government officials, and nearly 100 investors from around the world attended the Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025.
Addressing at the occasion, the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated
We stand firm in determination that we must move forward based on the calculations already undertaken for Sri Lanka. We are not going backwards. We cannot allow the country to fall back. Our goal is to achieve that target.
When circumstances and opportunities change, we are compelled to adapt. Particularly in facing the current and emerging challenges, we must take certain steps. However, this does not change the objectives of the government. During the budget speech, the President emphasized sustainable and inclusive growth, export diversification, digitalization, creating a productive economy, and reducing poverty.
We are working with firm determination to stay on the correct path towards achieving these goals.
The government discussed major strategic proposals through the budget. These included proposals related to overall economic restructuring necessary for trade, digitalization, and the reform process. We have already begun work on many laws and policies required for this. They are scheduled to be presented early next year. There is no reason for delay, we are moving even faster as it is part of our strategy for national recovery.
We are ensuring that the proper environment has been established in order to take the economy forward. We have no intention of postponing anything.
Given the current situation, we must be strategic, and certain adjustments will also need to be made within the budget.
In order to ensure that we can truly rise from this crisis, we must maintain our economy in a strong and resilient manner. These are not just ‘exaggerations’ done in order to maintain the appearance. These are fundamentals to keeping the economy stable and competitive. Therefore, these essential tasks must be carried out, and we must also find the necessary financial resources. At this point, correct policies are more important than money.
For example, implementing a single window system does not require large sums of money but a matter of proper management. What matters is establishing the correct policies. The political support is also crucial to ensure that everyone adheres to the laws, regulations, and procedures.
I would prefer to describe the change we expected to initiate in the education sector is more that a reform process but a transformation, because the plan is to introduce an entirely new approach.
This transformation is based on five key pillars: reforms in assessment and evaluation methods; reforms in educational administration; development of school infrastructure; and finally, public awareness.
We propose two major fundamental changes.
The first is a change in the assessment system. Currently, the education system is highly examination-oriented, where teaching and learning are centered on passing exams. Children learn in order to pass exams. What we aim for is a school-based, continuous assessment system. This will reduce the emphasis on competitive exams and increase attention on learning as an experience and a process. We plan to introduce modular systems and school-based assessments while reducing the weight placed on exams. This will be a significant change in education and will also require a change in the perspective.
The second major change we propose is integrating vocational education into mainstream education and as a selective subject of choice.
At present, vocational education is generally viewed as the “option for those who fail.” If someone fails an exam or is a backbencher, they are directed towards vocational education, and most of the time, students must drop out of school to pursue it. We propose integrating vocational education into the mainstream from Grade 6 onwards. This will allow all students to understand different vocational pathways and choose a vocational path at every level of education. This system is somewhat similar to the German model, where students spend part of their time in school and another portion in industrial training.
We also hope to engage in rapid discussions with the Chamber of Commerce and the private sector. Furthermore, we require continuous input from the private sector to identify areas where skills are in demand.
We welcome private sector involvement in providing internships for students and developing curricula in collaboration with the National Institute of Education. We also expect their support in curriculum development.
However, the aim of our education transformation is not merely to produce individuals for the labor market. Our primary objective is to create good citizens. Contributing to the economy is part of being a good citizen. Our goal is to produce citizens who, as employees, entrepreneurs, or creative individuals, are capable of taking the country to the next level.
The Sri Lanka Economic and Investment Summit 2025 was organized with the support of a number of international and local partners, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank Group, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka, and the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development. Several foreign ambassadors based in Sri Lanka also participated in the summit.
Prime Minister’s Media Division