2023-03-14
News Categories : Committee News
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms did not agree to the decision taken by the Council of Legal Education to make the mandatory medium of examination of the Sri Lanka Law College English.
The disagreement arose when the Ministerial Consultative Committee met in Parliament recently (Mar. 10) under the chairmanship of the Minister Hon. (Dr.) Wijayadasa Rajapakshe in Parliament.
The Members present questioned the Law College Principal Dr. Athula Pathinayake who were present at the Committee, the purpose and reasoning behind making the mandatory medium of examination of the Sri Lanka Law College English.
The Members were of the view that many who are already in the legal filed have exceled well and they have done so by writing for Law College examination under the liberty to sit for examinations in a preferred language. Therefore, the Committee was of the view that those who wish to become lawyers writing for exams in their mother tongue has never been a hindrance for excellence.
Moreover, The Committee Members were of the view that Primary Courts mainly use Sinhala and Tamil as the main language during court proceedings. It is only the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court that use English. Furthermore, the Members present pointed out that in the North and where there are a majority of Tamils and Muslims, Court hearings are conducted in Tamil and in areas where a majority are Singhalese court proceedings are carried out in Sinhala.
Members further mentioned that it is a ground reality that English education is lacking in most rural areas and by making Examinations mandatory in English is a violation of fundamental rights. Thus, the Committee was of the view that a student is required to have the liberty to face the examination in their mother tongue which is their primary language.
Given the context, the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms did not agree with the decision taken by the Council of Legal Education on the said matter.
Deputy Speaker Hon. Ajith Rajapakse, Leader of the Opposition Hon. Sajith Premadasa, Ministers Hon. (Dr.) Bandula Gunawardana, Members of Parliament Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Hon. Dilan Perera, Hon. Gevindu Cumaratunga, Hon. Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Hon. Buddhika Pathirana, Hon. Uddika Premarathna, Hon. Sagara Kariyawasam, Hon. Udaya Gammanpila, Hon. Mohomad Muzammil, Hon. Udayana Kirindigoda, Hon. Lalith Ellawala, Hon. Gamini Waleboda, Hon. (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi, Hon. Madhura Withanage, Hon. Premnath C. Dolawatte, hon. (Prof) Charitha Herath, Hon. Ishak Rahuman, Hon. H. M. M. Harees, Hon. M. S. Thowfeek, were present at the Committee meeting held.
2026-07-16
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education recently discussed and approved the final report of the Committee appointed to make recommendations for the establishment of an Education Council in Sri Lanka which had been endorsed by the Sub-Committee on the Establishment of an Education Council.The approval was granted at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education held in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.During the meeting, the Chair of the Sub-Committee, Hon. Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, presented the report to the Committee. The report incorporates the observations and recommendations made following a comprehensive study conducted by the panel of experts appointed by the Ministry to formulate recommendations for the establishment of an Education Council in Sri Lanka.Thereafter, the Committee sought the views and proposals of its members on the contents of the report. Following an extensive discussion, the Ministerial Consultative Committee approved the report.The meeting was attended by Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, and officials of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.
2026-07-16
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) extensively reviewed the Auditor General's Reports relating to the Department of Examinations of Sri Lanka for the years 2021 to 2024, as well as its current performance.The discussion took place when the Committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of its Chair, Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim.During the meeting, the Committee focused on a number of matters, including the conduct of examinations and the process of releasing examination results, the use of information technology systems, human resource management, procurement procedures, the submission of annual reports to Parliament, and the implementation of the recommendations of the Auditor General.Officials also briefed the Committee on the measures taken to further enhance the Department's current performance and service efficiency, as well as the programmes scheduled to be implemented in the future.The Committee also discussed the action taken in response to the observations of the Auditor General and instructed the officials to take the necessary steps to expedite the implementation of the remaining recommendations.The meeting was attended by Committee Members Hon. Deputy Ministers Nalin Hewage and Sugath Thilakarathna, and Hon. Members of Parliament Chanaka Madugoda, Dr. M. L. A. M. Hizbullah, Hector Appuhamy, T. K. Jayasundara, Chandana Sooriyarachchi, Lal Premanath, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Dr. Janaka Senarathna and Sunil Rathnasiri.
2026-07-16
Parliamentary Caucus for Youth focused on the importance of obtaining the views and proposals of young people on the Draft National Youth Policy.The matter was discussed at the sixth meeting of the Parliamentary Forum for Youth, held recently in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Deputy Minister Eranga Gunasekara.During the meeting, an extensive discussion was held on the Draft National Youth Policy. Attention was also drawn to obtaining the views and proposals of the Members of the Caucus with a view to incorporating the needs and aspirations of young people into the policy in a more effective manner.It was further emphasised that the Parliamentary Caucus for Youth will continue to facilitate the meaningful inclusion of the voices of young people in the policy formulation process.The meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament and officials.
2026-07-10
The Committee on High Posts, which met in Parliament recently (Jul. 08), has granted its approval for the appointment of Mr. D.P. Wickramasingha as the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation.The meeting was chaired by the Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and was attended by Hon. Ministers Bimal Rathnayake and Dr. Upali Pannilage, as well as Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, Rishad Bathiudeen, K. Kader Mastan, Kumara Jayakody, Kathiravelu Shanmugam Kugathasan, and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella.
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