2025-04-10
News Categories : Committee News
Officials of the Ministry of Education have informed the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Women and Child Affairs that a six-month training program has been proposed for students who are undergoing training to become teachers, in their respective Colleges of education on handling children with disabilities. The officials further stated that the objective of this training is to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and attitudes to treat children with disabilities equally to other children.
This matter was discussed at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Women and Child Affairs, held on 08.04.2025 at Parliament, chaired by Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj. Hon. Deputy Minister of Women and Child Affairs, (Dr.) Namal Sudarshana, was also present at the occasion.
During the discussion, officials highlighted that there has been a noticeable increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism in Sri Lanka. According to statistics, over 9,000 children have currently been identified, the officials informed the Committee. The Committee Chair emphasized that due to the lack of proper diagnosis, many children continue to suffer from various disabilities.
The Chair further stated that children with autism should be identified during their early developmental stages and that only through early diagnosis can they be guided toward a healthy developmental path. Accordingly, she stressed the need to implement an active mechanism to monitor and attend to children from birth, starting from the period under the supervision of the Public Health Midwife and throughout the early childhood development stages.
She also revealed that plans are in place to establish three model daycare centers in identified regions for children with autism. It was also proposed to appoint a committee to carry out the necessary arrangements for this initiative, with the intention of guiding such children through appropriate stages of development.
Moreover, the Committee also engaged in an extensive discussion regarding the necessity of ensuring that children residing in children's homes and institutions due to vulnerabilities or financial hardships are provided with care within the family environment without being separated from their biological families. Officials from the Department of Probation and Child Care Services informed the Committee that placing a child under probationary care takes place only through a judicial process. Accordingly, they stated that steps will be taken to educate judges on the importance of providing care for such children within their family setting rather than institutionalizing them.
The Chair also stated that steps are being taken to bring preschools operating under various mechanisms across the island under one standardized system. Additionally, officials informed the Committee that a joint policy on preschool education is currently being developed collaboratively by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs. They also stressed the importance of implementing the preschool curriculum framework that has already been drafted.
The Committee also discussed at length the issue of children in plantation areas being drawn toward the use of illicit alcohol and drugs. Furthermore, concerns were raised about the increasing tendency of these children to use harmful substances such as "Babool" and "Pan Parag." It was revealed during the discussion that these harmful substances have not been included in the list of prohibited imported items by the Consumer Affairs Authority. Therefore, the Committee decided to request the Consumer Affairs Authority to take necessary steps to include these substances in the banned imports list.
The Chair also revealed that there have been instances where maternity leave has not been granted during the third childbirth. Officials pointed out that according to amended laws, the same benefits provided for the first and second live births should also be granted for the third and all subsequent live births, but this has not been adequately communicated to the society.
The appointment of Tamil-speaking female officers to police stations in the Jaffna District was also discussed at the Committee meeting. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ms. Renuka Jayasundara, stated that there are currently 56 female officers serving in Jaffna, of whom 21 are working in women and children's units. Among them, only around 8 female officers are capable of working in the Tamil language, she further stated.
The Committee also inquired into the lack of discussion on women and children's issues within the policy frameworks of regional and district coordinating committees. District Secretaries have now been informed to ensure that such topics are included in relevant committee discussions, and it was reported that, at present, these subjects are being addressed in those committees.
The importance of ensuring the participation of the chairperson of the District Coordinating Committee and all officers involved in women and children’s affairs in the Children’s Rights Promotion Committees held at the Divisional Secretariat level was also emphasized during the meeting.
A number of Hon. Ministers, Hon. State Ministers, Committee Members, other Members of Parliament, and officials participated in this Consultative Committee meeting.
2025-11-27
The appointments of three chairmen of state-owned institutions were approved by the Parliamentary Committee on High Posts yesterday (Nov. 26).Accordingly, the appointments of Dr. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka, Mr. M.D.C.A. Perera as the Chairman of the National Lotteries Board, and Eng. P.V.A. Hemalal, as the Chairman of Kahatagaha Graphite Lanka Limited, were approved by the Committee on High Posts.The meeting was chaired by Hon. Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, and a group of members of the committee participated in this meeting.
2025-11-27
The Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Najith Indika, stated that the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board must take the lead in streamlining the procurement process and easing existing legal barriers related to importing equipment used to test drivers for drug use.These matters were taken up during the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, which met in Parliament on 20th November 2025 under the chairmanship of Hon. MP (Dr.) Najith Indika.The Committee reviewed the progress of the 2025 budget proposals and special project implementations of the Ministry of Public Security & Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils & Local Government.Officials from the Sri Lanka Police Narcotics Bureau highlighted the difficulties in conducting roadside drug tests due to the lack of necessary equipment.The Committee Chair noted that the government has prioritized eliminating drug abuse and stressed the importance of regulating drivers who operate vehicles under the influence of drugs. He further stated that essential equipment required to identify drug users must be made readily available and that legal barriers affecting their procurement process and importation should be addressed promptly.Police officials also informed the Committee that notable progress has been made in implementing budgeted programmes related to drug prevention. Officials from the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board briefed the Committee on the progress achieved under their purview as well.The Committee additionally reviewed the progress of the 2025 budget proposals of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils & Local Government. The Ministry Secretary reported significant progress and noted that many suspended development projects have now resumed.Hon. Members of Parliament G.G. Ponnambalam, Mujibur Rahman, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, and Dharmapriya Wijesinghe were also present at the committee meeting.
2025-11-26
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection recently (Nov. 18) reviewed 12 performance reports and annual reports of institutions functioning under the Ministry of Justice and National Integration.The Committee met in Parliament on the 18th under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Najith Indika.Accordingly, the Committee examined the 2022, 2023 and 2024 performance reports of the Registrar’s Office of the Supreme Court, the 2023 and 2024 performance reports of Judges of Supreme Court, the 2022 Annual Report of the Supreme Court Complex Management Board, the 2022 and 2023 Annual Reports of the National Authority for the Protection of Victims and Witnesses of Crime, and the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Department of Community Based Corrections.In addition, the Committee reviewed the 2022 and 2023 Annual Reports of the Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka, the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Department of Official Languages, the 2020,2021,2022 & 2023 Annual Reports of the Official Languages Commission, the 2022 and 2023 Annual Reports of the National Institute of Language Education and Training, the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Department of Prisons, the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Prisoners’ Welfare Fund, and the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Debt Conciliation Board.The Committee also inquired into audit observations related to these institutions, and relevant officials presented their explanations. Attention was also drawn to the current activities of these institutions, as well as existing issues and shortcomings. The Committee Chair informed officials to notify the Committee if amendments to the legal framework governing these institutions were necessary to ensure more efficient service delivery, and assured the Committee’s support in facilitating such changes.Further, regarding the 2024 Annual Performance Report of the Department of Community Based Corrections, it was noted that the Auditor General’s report highlighted the incomplete construction of the building for the Legal Aid and Community Correctional Office in Puttalam. The Committee requested a report on this matter.Accordingly, approval of the Committee was granted for all performance and annual reports reviewed, except for the 2023 and 2024 Annual Performance Reports of the Department of Community Based Corrections.Hon. Members of Parliament Mujibur Rahman, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, and Major General (Retd.) G.D. Sooriyabandara, along with a group of government officials, participated in the Committee meeting.
2025-11-26
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital has examined the operation of private universities in Sri Lanka and the issues relating to their recognition by the University Grants Commission (UGC).The matter was discussed when the Committee met in Parliament on 21 November 2025, under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage.During the discussion, the Committee Chair highlighted the emergence of institutions awarding degrees of inadequate quality and the resulting harm caused. He noted that many such institutions operate with profit-making as their primary objective rather than providing quality education. The Chair stressed the importance of ensuring that the entire process, from student admission to awarding of degrees remains under the supervision of the UGC.The Vice Chair of the UGC, expressing his views, underscored the need to establish a Higher Education Commission to regulate and monitor private universities and other degree-awarding institutions. He explained that such a body would enable the creation of comprehensive data systems and facilitate links with universities worldwide, allowing access to essential information on institutional standards and programme quality. This, he noted, would help ensure accurate decision-making when granting approval to prospective private universities. These comments were further supported by the Additional Secretary (Non-State Higher Education) of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training, and by officials of the UGC.The Committee also focused on issues related to state universities, scholarships offered for foreign degree programmes, and other related matters.Hon. Members of Parliament Krishnan Keleichelvi, Nilusha Lakmali Gamage (Attorney-at-Law), Chanaka Madugoda, Thurairasa Ravikaran, and Sunil Rajapaksha, along with officials from the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training and the UGC, were present at the discussion.
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