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.
2026-05-26
The Central Provincial Council was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s report for 2024, and the Council’s current performance.The committee meeting, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, was held recently at Parliament.During the meeting, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 5th September, 2019. Discussions focused on the incident involving the destruction of files belonging to the Central Provincial Passenger Transport Authority.It was revealed that directives issued by the relevant court and the Presidential Secretary regarding the incident had not been implemented by the responsible authorities. In this regard, the Committee Chairman instructed officials of the Central Provincial Council to submit all reports and correspondence related to the incident to the committee.In addition, the committee discussed an incident involving the unlawful transfer of a rest house owned by the Road Development Authority to a third party in violation of lease conditions. Accordingly, the Chairman instructed officials to identify the officers responsible for making the relevant decisions and to submit a report to the committee on the legal action being taken in connection with the matter.The committee also held extensive discussions on irregularities identified by the National Audit Office in road development and passenger transport services in the Central Province, as well as issues affecting the health sector.Expressing his views during the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the importance of expediting ongoing investigations within institutions and focusing on follow-up action. He further stressed that if a state institution generates profits, such profits should accrue to the government, and if such revenue is used for institutional activities, established legal provisions and procedures must be strictly followed.The meeting was attended by committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Sunil Rathnasiri, Oshani Umanga, Susantha Kumara Navarathna, Ajantha Gammeddage, Chanaka Madugoda, T.K. Jayasundara and Lal Premanath along with a group of government officials.
2026-05-26
The Parliamentary Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the Electoral System under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, recently sought views from the Attorney General’s Department and members of the Election Commission.The discussion took place when the committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Attorney General’s Department briefed the committee on the existing legal obstacles to holding Provincial Council elections and the possible ways in which such obstacles could be removed to facilitate the conduct of the elections.The Election Commission informed the committee that it is prepared to conduct Provincial Council elections at any time under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament based on the committee’s recommendations.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law and Muneer Mulaffer as well as committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Samanmali Gunasinghe and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi. The committee member M. Nizam Kariapper, P.C also participated virtually.
2026-05-25
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area.This decision was taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, held in Parliament today (May 25). Accordingly, a special discussion has been scheduled for 05.06.2026 with the participation of relevant institutions including the Sri Lanka Police, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.In addition to the incident, which has generated significant public concern, the discussion is also expected to focus extensively on strengthening the laws and empowering the institutions required to prevent all forms of violence against women and children.Meanwhile, it was also decided to appoint a subcommittee under the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to oversee the future legal proceedings relating to the Anuradhapura girl’s case and to identify the institutional and legal reforms required in the country to eliminate violence against women and children.The subcommittee will be led by the deputy co-chairs of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Hon. Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella. The other members of the subcommittee will be Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakarathna, Attorney-at-Law Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law Hiruni Wijesinghe and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-05-25
The progress of implementing the new education reforms was reviewed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi. During the meeting held in Parliament on the 19th, extensive discussions were held on the implementation of the new education reforms.Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, briefed the committee on the manner in which the new education reforms are being implemented.The meeting was attended by Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, committee members, provincial education secretaries, school principals, and several other officials.
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