Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has stated that the Government is making every effort to ensure quality education that nurtures the kind of developed citizens the country requires, emphasizing that providing quality education is a comprehensive and time-consuming process. She stressed that reforms must go beyond curriculum changes and include the provision of all necessary infrastructure for both students and teachers.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in a certificates and medal awarding ceremony to recognise students of Senanayake National College, Chilaw, who achieved all-island victories, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. She attended the event after inspecting the school, which was severely damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that Senanayake National College holds a significant legacy in Sri Lanka’s education system, as it is one of the 54 schools established under the first free education system introduced by C.W.W. Kannangara. She said Kannangara introduced free education with a far-reaching vision to ensure access to quality education and to develop citizens suited to the country’s needs, despite strong opposition from certain groups who sought to protect private privileges.
The Prime Minister said that after entering Parliament, she had studied parliamentary debates from the period when free education was introduced and observed how some leaders had opposed it using extreme arguments. She also recalled that Venura Edirisinghe, who was educated at Senanayake National College, sacrificed his life in the struggle to protect free education, fighting selflessly for future generations.
She stated that the Government does not wish to build a society where young people with such vision are forced to sacrifice their lives, but instead aims to nurture individuals who embody those same noble qualities. The objective, she said, is to create an education system and environment that enables individuals to reach the highest possible standards based on their abilities and skills.
The Prime Minister further emphasized that the goal of education policy is not merely to produce individuals who stand up for themselves, but to develop people who can understand others, act with empathy, provide leadership to transform society, and contribute to building a civilized and humane community.
She added that the Government would intervene to further develop Senanayake National College, highlighting its strong heritage and expressing confidence in its potential to become a school recognised both nationally and internationally. Despite existing challenges, she said the Chilaw Zonal Education Office has the strength and commitment needed to achieve this goal.
The event was attended by Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Prof. Chandana Abayarathna; Members of Parliament Gayan Janaka, Hiruni Wijesinghe and Mohamed Faisal; Principal of Senanayake National College, Chilaw, S.P.N.S. Pathirana; as well as teachers and students.
