2026-07-16
News Categories : News
An awareness programme for Hon. Members of Parliament on the National Policy on Preschool Education, child protection, corporal punishment and its legal framework, and the importance of positive discipline was held in Parliament recently (July 08).
The programme was conducted under the patronage of Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj and Hon. Deputy Minister Dr. Namal Sudarshana, with the participation of a number of Ministers and Members of Parliament.
During the programme, Director (Preschool Education) of the Ministry of Education, Ms. K.D.T. Wimalasiri, delivered a presentation on the National Policy on Preschool Education. She revealed that preschool education reforms are scheduled to be implemented from 2027 and that, in line with the new curriculum framework, a Preschool Teacher's Guide and a Model Activity Book are expected to be launched in August under the patronage of Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
She further stated that the National Institute of Education plans to train 108 master trainers for preschool teacher training, who will subsequently train a further 556 trainers at the provincial level. Accordingly, nearly 35,000 preschool teachers identified across the country are expected to undergo a ten-day training programme during November and December this year. This initiative will facilitate the implementation of preschool teaching under a common curriculum framework. She also noted that an assessment and regulatory framework for preschools is being developed and that the National Policy on Preschool Education is expected to be enacted into law by next year.
Mrs. Wimalasiri further stated that the policy had been formulated with the contributions of several key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the National Institute of Education, and the National Education Commission.
Chairperson of the National Child Protection Authority, Ms. Preethi Inoka Ranasinghe, Director (Law Enforcement) Attorney-at-Law Sajeevani Abeykoon, Director (Legal) Attorney-at-Law Preethika Sakalasuriya of the National Child Protection Authority, and Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Darshani Hettiarachchi also delivered presentations. They briefed Members on a range of matters, including child protection and the role of the National Child Protection Authority, the proposed legal amendments to abolish corporal punishment, the impact of punitive disciplinary practices on child development, and the importance of promoting positive discipline in place of discipline based on fear of punishment.
The officials further pointed out that Sri Lanka is currently undertaking legal and policy reforms aimed at preventing violence against children and eliminating corporal punishment. They also noted that the National Child Protection Authority is taking steps to strengthen its regulatory and coordinating role. It was further explained that amendments have been proposed to the Penal Code to abolish corporal punishment and that, as a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Sri Lanka is internationally committed to preventing physical and psychological violence against children.
Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj expressed her appreciation to all stakeholders who contributed to the formulation of the National Policy on Preschool Education. She emphasised that legal reforms should not be directed against any particular group and reaffirmed the Government's commitment to taking every possible measure to ensure the protection and well-being of children.
The programme was well received by the Hon. Members of Parliament, who were also given the opportunity to express their views and make suggestions.
2026-08-18
The Hon. Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne endorsed the certification today (18) on the Animals (Amendment) Bill and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill.The Bill to amend the Animals Act, No. 29 of 1958 was presented to the Parliament of Sri Lanka for First Reading by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation on 21.07.2026 and was passed by Parliament on 06.08.2026.The primary objective of this amendment is to broaden the legal definition of the term “animal” in Section 38 of the principal Act. In addition, by redefining the term “animal”, the amendment ensures that goats, pigs and sheep are brought within the scope of the provisions of Part II of the Act. Further, the relevant definitions have been clarified in relation to Part IV of the Act to include sheep, goats, pigs and poultry.The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill was presented to Parliament for First Reading by the Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply on 21.07.2026 and was also passed by Parliament on 06.08.2026.The amendment modernizes the National Water Supply and Drainage Board Law, No. 24 of 1974, and strengthens the powers and functions of the Board relating to the provision of water supply and wastewater management services.The responsibilities of the Board have also been expanded to include water and wastewater management services in industrial estates, industrial parks and community-based organizations. In addition, the amendment makes provisions for expanding employee insurance schemes, technical services, training services, laboratory services and consultancy services to support more effective and sustainable water and wastewater management.Accordingly, the Animals (Amendment) Bill has been enacted as the Animals (Amendment) Act, No. 19 of 2026, while the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Bill has been enacted as the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (Amendment) Act, No. 20 of 2026.
2026-08-18
The Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill, which includes provisions to extend the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, was presented to Parliament today (Aug. 18) for First Reading.The Bill was referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, and provisions of the Constitution allow for the opinion of the Supreme Court to be sought in relation to the Bill.Accordingly, any party wishing to challenge the constitutionality of the Bill may file a petition before the Supreme Court within 14 days from the date on which the Bill was presented to Parliament.If such a petition is filed, the Supreme Court is required to consider the matter and communicate its determination to the Speaker within 21 days.Meanwhile, the Judicature (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to amend the Judicature Act, No. 2 of 1978, was also presented to Parliament today for First Reading. The Bill proposes to extend the retirement age of judges of the High Court, Magistrates’ Courts and all other courts.
2026-08-17
A programme aimed at educating students of the Sri Lanka Law College on the legislative process was held at Parliament.The programme included discussions on the legislative process, Parliamentary procedures and traditions, and other matters relating to the business of Parliament. A question-and-answer session was also held. Afterwards, the students took part in a tour of the Parliament premises, including the Chamber.At the request of the Human Rights Movement of the Sri Lanka Law College, the programme was organized by the Public Outreach Section of the Department of Communications of Parliament. Assistant Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Hansa Abeyratne, Director (Legislative Services) Mr. M. Jayalath Perera, Assistant Director (Administration) Mr. Kanchana Herath, and Assistant Director (Administration) Mr. Shantha Fernando participated in the programme.
2026-08-14
Parliament’s Official Website Also Wins Gold Award for Best Government WebsiteThe official website of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, www.parliament.lk, recently won the Overall Silver Award for the Best Website Overall at the “BestWeb.lk 2026” Awards Ceremony.It is also noteworthy that the Parliament’s official website won the Gold Award in the “Best Government Website” category.The “BestWeb.lk 2026” Awards Ceremony, organized by the LK Domain Registry, was held on 12 August 2026 at the Monarch Imperial in Sri Jayawardenepura.More than 350 websites competed this year across 24 categories. The websites were evaluated based on a range of criteria, including technical implementation, performance, design, content, security, and other additional features.The Parliament’s official website has previously won awards at this competition on several occasions. This year’s participation is particularly significant as it marked the website’s return to the competition after a seven-year hiatus, following the launch of its revamped website.A large gathering of distinguished guests, experts, academics, as well as award winners and representatives of nominated websites, attended the awards ceremony. Mr. G. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister, participated as the Chief Guest.This recognition reaffirms the Parliament’s continued commitment to strengthening its digital presence and providing Parliamentary information to the public through its official online platform in an accessible, reliable, and user-friendly manner.
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