I see no rational basis in the opposition’s claim for 6%
The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the minimum amount of 6% to be allocated for education is an international criterion , and there is no rational basis in the claim for 6% raised by the opposition.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while responding to questions raised by the opposition, today (November 26) in Parliament.
The Prime Minister further stated:
We have stood and are standing for the 6% for education. Six percent refers to an international criterion. This criterion was set out by UNESCO.
I believe that not only we, but also the University Professors’ Association, indeed the entire country and the international community, recognise it as a standard. Not only in our country, but also in globally the same struggle exists.
We started this struggle in 2011. Between 2011 and 2024, those who governed, and the governments that allocated funds for education, were not ours. There was a time when those who now agreed with this were also in power. Even then, they had the opportunity to join the 6% struggle, but they did not. When we took over the power, the share allocated to education was around 1.04%. We increased it in our first budget and the second budget. We have demonstrated, that we give more attention to achieve 6% progressively.
From 2011 to 2024, those in administration operated on a trajectory that declined further downward rather than toward progress, yet now, as we have shifted to a direction of increasing investment, they question why 6 percent is not being allocated.
I see no rational basis in the opposition’s claim for 6%. Therefore, the position we are at is extremely clear.
We have demonstrated through action that we prioritize education and progressively allocate funding toward it. Our policy statement also affirms that we have planned to gradually move toward 6 percent. That is exactly what we are implementing.
Further, there is no surplus of junior staff in national schools, and labor vacancies exist in both provincial and national schools due to resignation, promotions, retirement, and similar matters.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya also stated that once new recruitments are made to fill the existing junior staff vacancies in national and provincial schools, staff placement will be carried out to fill the schools where there are shortages.
Prime Minister’s Media Division