There is a shortage of 40,000 Teachers Island wide.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that there is currently a shortage of 40,000 teachers across the country, and that the government expects to recruit a certain number of the required vacancies by the end of this year.

The Prime Minister made these remarks in Parliament today (21), while responding to a question raised by the member of the opposition, Mujibur Rahuman.

The Prime Minister further stated:

There are currently 4,240 teacher vacancies in the Sinhala medium and 2,827 in the Tamil medium for Grades 1 to 5 in government schools. The number of vacancies form Grades 6 to 11 reported 11,274 in the Sinhala medium an MORE >>

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the recruitment of trainee teachers has been carried out in accordance with the prevailing system, and some issues have arisen due to the shortcomings of the existing system that are now being addressed.

The Prime Minister made these remarks in Parliament today (20) while responding to a question raised by the Opposition.

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated:

The decisions to recruit the trainee teachers are made by the existing vacancies of teachers due to retirement of current teachers and the differences in subject curriculum in remote areas, thereby carefully calculating the teacher vacancies based on subject requireme MORE >>

ශ්‍රී ලංකා ගුවන්විදුලි සංස්ථාවේ දමිළ අංශයේ නියෝජ්‍ය අධ්‍යක්ෂක ජනරාල් ලෙසත්, ශ්‍රී ලංකා රූපවාහිනී සංසථාවේ දමිළ පුවත් ඉදිරිපත් කරන්නෙකු ලෙසත් කටයුතු කළ ජෙෂ්ඨ මාධ්‍යවේදී වී. එන්. මදිඅලහන් මහතා විසින් රචිත "වී.එන්. මදිඅලහන් කියන පුවත්" සහ "දමිළ විකාශනයේ ස්වර්ණමය යුගයේ සටහන්" නැමති දමිළ  MORE >>

Newly appointed High Commissioners, Ambassadors, and Consuls designated to represent Sri Lanka paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on May 19 at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Those scheduled to assume their diplomatic duties abroad include P. M. Kolonne for India, former Justice to Supreme Court Jayanta Jayasuriya for New York, R. M. Mahindadasa Ratnayake for Cuba, Rear Admiral (Retired) Fred Senewiratne for Pakistan, Professor P. Janaka Kumarasinghe for Japan, Professor Arusha Kure for United Arab Emirates, and S. D. N. U. Senadhira for United Kingdom.

During the meeting, the diplomats apprised the Prime Minister of the key priorities and areas of engagement they intend to pu MORE >>

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya attended the finale of the inter-school knockout rugby tournament for the President’s Trophy between Isipathana College, Colombo and Trinity College, Kandy, held today (18 May) at the Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo.

Isipathana College, which holds the record for the highest number of President’s Trophy championship, successfully qualified for the final after defeating Royal College, Colombo with a score of 24–17 in the semi-finals held last week recording the 29th appearance in the finals, and once again secured the victory in this year’s championship.

The event was attended by Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Amal Edirisuriya, MORE >>

In line with the Vesak full moon Poya day, the annual Police Bhakti Gee programme titled “Honoring the Virtues Companionship” organized by the Sri Lanka Police Buddhist and Religious Affairs Association was held on May 17 at the Police Headquarters under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

Music for the Vesak Bhakti Gee recital was provided by the Western Band of Sri Lanka Police, along with the vocal contribution by several renowned vocal artists from across the country and police officers.

The event was attended by the High Commissioners of India and Nepal, the Deputy Ambassador of Japan, Minister of Public Security, Ananda Wijepala; Governor to the Western Province, Haniff Yusuf; Acti MORE >>

Her Excellency. (Ms.) Nina P. Cainglet, Ambassador of the Philippines to Sri Lanka based in Dhaka, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Prime Minister’s Office on May 16, 2025.

The Prime Minister welcomed Ambassador Cainglet and extended her congratulations on the new appointment. The discussion focused on expanding cooperation in trade and tourism, with both sides expressing their commitment to exploring new opportunities in these key sectors. The meeting also addressed consular matters relating to the Filipino community in Sri Lanka. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured continued dialogue and necessary support on relevant issues.

The meeting was attende MORE >>

Her Excellency (Ms.) Rath Many, Ambassador of Cambodia to Sri Lanka based in New Delhi, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Prime Minister’s Office on May 16.

The Prime Minister welcomed Ambassador Rath Many and extended her best wishes for a successful tenure. Ambassador Rath Many proposed a bilateral agreement to establish direct air connectivity between the two countries, highlighting its potential to strengthen trade, tourism, and people-to-people ties. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in promoting itself as a preferred destination for Cambodian travelers while exploring avenues to expand bilateral trade and tourism partnerships.

The meeting was MORE >>

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the Vajra Jayanti celebration of the Sirirathnajothi Pirivena Educational Institute in Urupola, Matara, held on May 16. Addressing the event, the Prime Minister stated that the main expectations of the present government includes nurturing a future generation that is humanitarian, environmentally conscious, respectful of Sri Lanka’s cultural diversity, and enriched with scholarly knowledge.

The Prime Minister further emphasized that the vision of government to a new renaissance era extends across all sectors including politics, the economy, religion, education, and culture and that the government aims to correctly identify and address the current crises within the pirive MORE >>

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the development of a country depends on the productive contribution its citizens make towards the nation.

The inauguration ceremony for the launch of the National Productivity Awards Competition 2025/2026 was held on May 15 at the main hall of Temple Trees, under the patronage of the Prime Minister.

During the event, the competition for the Education Sector was declared by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, while for the Public Sector by Minister of Industries and Enterprise Development Sunil Handunnetti, and for the Production and Services Sector by Secretary General of the Asian Productivity Organization Dr. Indra Pradhan Singhavithana.

Addr MORE >>

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the 77th commemoration of AL- NAKBA , International action towards ending the Nakba and realizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people which was held today (15) at Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian and Research Institute, Colombo 07.

The United Nations’ theme for 77th commemoration of Nakba in 2025 was ’International Action towards ending the Nakba and realizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.’

The event was organized jointly by the Embassy of the state of Palestine in Colombo, Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity in commemorating AL- NAKBA, the Palestinian Catastrophe.

The occasion MORE >>

1,000 Primary Outpatient Units to be Established in the Future. – Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that significant attention must be drawn to the safety of women in employment, and a secure environment should be created for them in the workplace.

The Prime Minister made these remarks today (15) addressing at the International Nurses Day 2025 celebration organized by the All Ceylon Nurses’ Union, held at the Karaliya Hall in Kandy.

This year’s International Nurses Day was commemorated under the theme of ’Our Nurses, Our Future – Investing in Nursing Strengthens the Economy,” aiming to remember Florence Ni MORE >>

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in several Vesak day festivals held in Colombo on May 14.

The Prime Minister graced the inaugural ceremony of ’Bhakti Gee Pudasara,’ a program organized by the City FM service of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) jointly by the guidance of the Ministry of Education and the collaboration of the Department of Home Affairs, operating under the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government which was held at Independence Square, Colombo. During the event, students representing 12 schools from the Colombo District performed Bakthi Gee.

The occasion was attended by the Chairman of SLBC, Dr. Udita Gayashan Gunaseka MORE >>

The Vesak pandol depicting the narrative of Maha Prajapathi Gothami was ceremoniously inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya amidst a Seth Pirith chanting ceremony on Vesak Full Moon Poya Day, May 12, at the Grandpass Kosgas Junction (Pandol Junction).

This year marks the 54th occasion on which the Sri Vaishakya Sambuddhaloka Society has organized the Vesak pandol.

Prime Minister’s Media Division MORE >>

The 2025 Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival, jointly organized by the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple, the Presidential Secretariat, and the Prime Minister’s Office, was ceremonially inaugurated on May 12 by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

During the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister shared the following thoughts:

The Buddha Rashmi Vesak Festival, held with the collective effort of all communities residing in the city of Colombo, is truly special. The religious harmony that exists within Colombo plays a significant role in making this event successful. Thanks to this harmony, we witness a large number of Dansals and Vesak festivities. These Dansals are organized through the collective efforts of people acro MORE >>

It is an honor to extend my Vesak day message to all citizens of the nation during this sacred period in which Buddhist community across Sri Lanka come together to pay homage to the Lord Buddha, upholding both material and spiritual offerings and commemorating the threefold sacred events of the Lord Buddha’s life.

Since ancient times, the lives of the Sri Lankan people have been deeply rooted by the teaching of the Lord Buddha and this is a greater inheritance we have received through the Dhamma. In our country, where people of diverse ethnicities and religions coexist in harmony, the collective celebration of a major religious festival such as Vesak stands as a powerful testament to that unity.

This year Ves MORE >>

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited Gampola and Peradeniya hospitals on May 11 afternoon to inquire into the condition of the patients injured in a tragic bus accident. The incident occurred in the early hours of May 11 when a bus traveling from Kataragama to Kurunegala veered off the road and plunged into a 500 feet steep cliff in the Garandiella area.

During the visit, the Prime Minister paid special attention to the availability of essential medication for patients being treated in intensive care units, as well as the need to ensure that all patients receive the required medical attention without delay.

Responding to questions from the media, the Prime Minister stated:

This is a dire MORE >>

A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya was held on May 10 at the Prime Minister’s Office with the police team conducting investigations and the parents of the deceased child from Kotahena.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister instructed the police investigation team to carry out an impartial, accurate inquiry into the incidents that occurred both within the school and in the tuition class.

The Prime Minister further informed the group that the Ministry of Education is presently conducting an internal inquiry to assess the efficiency and adequacy of the procedures that were followed at the time the incident was reported.

In light of the observed lack of coordination amo MORE >>