Mumbai Indians part ways with Malinga, Mhambrey
Sri Lanka win nine medals as para athletes shine in Japan
Minhas’ match-turning 61, Fakhar 127 take Pakistan to tri-series title
Pakistan restrict Sri Lanka to 325 after Kamindu’s maiden ODI century
Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated that if Sri Lanka is to nurture the future leaders, children must be exposed from the primary education itself to the experiences and values gained through fields such as aesthetics and sports.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in the “Punchi Hapannu 2026” occasion to recognize and appreciate the winners of the Primary Literary Skills, held on Thursday [8 June]at Polpithigama National School during an educational inspection tour in the Kurunegala District.
The event was organized to recognize the winners of the “Punchi Hapannu 2026” Language and Literary Skills Competition, which was conducted with the participation of students from 49 primary schools in the Polpithigama Education Division, based on a concept initiated by the Divisional Director of Education. The occasion was further featured by aesthetic performances presented by students who had won across 17 different competition categories.
During the event, certificates were awarded to the winners by the Prime Minister.
Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister further stated:
“The initiative undertaken within the Polpithigama Education Division is an example for the entire country. Primary education is a broad and multifaceted field. The foundation provided through primary education is important in guiding a child along the right path. A child has only one opportunity in life to experience primary education, and it is our responsibility to ensure that this opportunity is provided in the most appropriate way.
Today, we witnessed how effectively the children of the Polpithigama Education Division utilized the opportunity given to them to creatively showcase their aesthetic talents. Likewise, we are striving to build an education system that provides opportunities for children across Sri Lanka to develop their hidden talents”.
Following the ceremony, the Prime Minister visited Makulpotha Maha Vidyalaya in the Polpithigama Education Division and layed the foundation-stone for a new two-storey school building.
The construction project, implemented with an investment of Rs. 45 million, is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and handed over for students in January 2027.
The event was graced by the presence of members of the Maha Sangha, and attended by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, Kurunegala District Member of Parliament Attorney-at-Law Geetha Herath, education officials of the North Western Province, parents, principals, and several other invitees.
Developing the human resources needed for construction projects remains a key challenge before us – PM
Inaugural session of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya Student Parliament held at the Presidential Secretariat
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
MONETABRIEF – Sri Lankan cricket legend Kumar Sangakkara’s “racist” allegation against Ryanair has ignited a social media debate over discrimination, while an airline that had nothing to do with the controversy apologised to him.
The responses to Sangakkara’s post on Wednesday saw X users divided, with many expressing solidarity while others questioned his choice of an ultra-low-cost carrier and whether he expected to be treated like a celebrity in a country not known for cricket.
Swiss, Switzerland’s national airline, took the biscuit by apologising to Sangakkara “for the inconvenience you have faced with us”. He did not fly Swiss!
X user @raamki responded to Swiss: “Dude, he didn’t even fly your airline. He is complaining about Ryanair, why are you apologising for nothing?”
Sangakkara’s complaint against Ryanair came days after the Lankadeepa newspaper reported that the Criminal Investigations Department was continuing an investigation into a land fraud involving his wife.
The Sinhala-language newspaper, through a Right to Information (RTI) request, established that a five-year CID investigation into the alleged Sigiriya land fraud remains unfinished and that key documents had been submitted for scrutiny in November last year.
The Sangakkaras are accused of forging documents to show that they are low-income earners entitled to have a plot of state land transferred from another low-income leaseholder.
Sangakkara has said that a broker, whom they did not know, had falsified documents to arrange the transaction, but the case is yet to go to trial as investigations were still under way, according to the RTI response from the Dambulla Divisional Secretariat.
Explaining the incident at Dublin Airport on Wednesday, Sangakkara said the behaviour of Ryanair gate staff there had been threatening.
“Has anyone experienced discriminatory gate personnel @Ryanair in Dublin? My family and I just did and it was shocking,” Sangakkara said on X.
“The tone of address, the mishandling of procedure and the threatening behaviour were unacceptable for any passenger. My first bad experience in Dublin.”
When X user @IrelandMeda argued that treating everyone exactly the same was not discrimination “even if someone accustomed to special privileges feels slighted by it”, Sangakkara replied that the treatment had been racist.
“When we were told that people like you … with your kind of passports should expect this treatment, and that if we argued against that obviously disgusting comment we would be considered a threat to other passengers and not boarded, that is not treating everyone exactly the same – it is racist,” he said.
@IrelandMeda replied: “It is a budget airline. No one argues.”
London’s Daily Mail reported that the dispute concerned a pre-boarding check of travel documents, including visas for entry to the UK.
Ryanair said in a statement: “This passenger refused to provide the required visa documentation when requested by a gate agent carrying out mandatory immigration checks.
“Following completion of these checks and verification of this passenger’s eligibility to travel, this passenger travelled on this scheduled flight from Dublin to Bristol (Oct 28).”
Another X user, @Namal0001, added: “Not giving special treatment to the rich and famous is not discrimination.”
Sri Lanka tech entrepreneur Sanjiva Weerawarana weighed in sayinghe had experienced “discrimination in every part of the West.”
“I lived there for 16 years, traveled back and forth for another 25 and now I’m done. Don’t miss it for a bit and will only go for something I need to go to; I see no need to accept being treated like shit,” Weerawarana, a co-founder of WSO2, said on X.
Several Sri Lankans questioned why Sangakkara, arguably one of the wealthiest cricketers the country has produced, would choose Europe’s cheapest low-cost carriers.
“Why do people with money fly Ryanair?” asked @nayanaGeneva. “I always fly national carriers unless I really don’t have a choice.”
The Daily Mail said Sangakkara now lives mainly in Dorset, having moved there with his family in early 2022, and also owns a property in Galle.
The Colombo High Court yesterday postponed until November 12 the further examination of evidence in the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, with evidence being recorded during yesterday’s proceedings.
The court thereafter ordered that the further examination of evidence be resumed on November 12.
The Attorney General has filed the case against Rajapaksa, alleging that he committed an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by spending more than Rs. 73 million to purchase five plots of land in the Dehiwala and Ratmalana areas.The prosecution alleges that the transactions amounted to an offence under the Act.
Continue Reading News Colombo fourth most polluted city Published
Colombo was yesterday ranked the fourth most polluted city in Sri Lanka, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 102, according to real-time data published by IQAir at 10.30 a.m.
Jaffna recorded the highest pollution level in the country with an AQI of 142, followed by Puttalam at 119 and Anuradhapura at 115.
The AQI readings between 101 and 150 are classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups under the US AQI system. Children, older adults and people with respiratory or heart conditions are particularly vulnerable.
Chief Scientist of the Air Pollution Management Unit at the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) Sarath Premasiri said air quality had deteriorated in several parts of the country, including Jaffna, Mannar, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Chilaw, Kandy and Kegalle.
He attributed the deterioration mainly to prevailing weather conditions and wind currents blowing across from southern India.Air quality levels could fluctuate during the day depending on weather conditions, wind patterns and changes in pollution levels.
Search for truth and justice in mass graves
‘All-inclusive Constitution’: Harini’s statement in CNN interview draws criticism
Dialog Axiata and IITM Pravartak partner for Sri Lankan technological advancement
United we create more value, divided we lose
Norochcholai unit goes offline again, raising fresh questions over power security
Airbus deal: Namal among four indicted
Obtaining funds from OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) for the Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program (MWSIP) – Phase 2
Copyright © 2020 Upali Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd. Solution by LankaCom Privacy Policy
Loading comments…