March 13, Colombo (LNW): Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has retracted her earlier statement, in which she had directed education officials to refrain from inviting politicians to school events.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday (12), she clarified that no official rule had been implemented regarding the matter, and insisted that her comments had been misunderstood.
In her address, the Prime Minister emphasised that there was no formal prohibition against politicians attending school functions, but underscored her belief that educational events should not be used as a platform for political purposes. She strongly rejected reports suggesting a ban, labelling them as inaccurate and misleading.
The Prime Minister’s clarification came in response to a question from Opposition MP D.V. Chanaka, who raised concerns over the recent visit to Henegama Madya Maha Vidyalaya by former Speaker Asoka Ranwala. Chanaka pointed out the contradiction between Amarasuriya’s statement as Education Minister last year and the continued participation of politicians in such functions, questioning whether her call should be complied with only by the members of the Opposition.
In her response, Amarasuriya expressed frustration over the media’s portrayal of her remarks and reaffirmed that there had never been any official decree preventing political involvement in school activities.
Despite this, it was noted that back in September 2024, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office had stated that during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Education, the Prime Minister had explicitly advised against inviting politicians to attend school events.
This earlier directive had sparked confusion, with many interpreting it as an outright ban.
The Prime Minister’s remarks on Wednesday seem to indicate that, whilst she does not want political influence to overshadow educational activities, she does not view the matter as an issue requiring a formal restriction.
Many are left questioning the potential impact of political involvement in schools and whether further guidelines may be necessary to ensure the focus remains on education rather than political agendas.
