<ul><li>Ministry assesses Grade 1 reforms across 365 schools</li><li>New modules being printed ahead of January rollout</li><li>Reforms halted after Grade 6 module controversy</li></ul> Education reforms that were halted following problems with the Grade 6 English language modules are expected to be rolled out from January of next year, with the Education Ministry currently conducting an island-wide survey to assess the impact of reforms already introduced for Grade One, it is learnt.Speaking to The Daily Morning, Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that the Ministry is now preparing to introduce the reforms for Grades Two and Six from January 2027. “Grade One education reforms are already implemented. For Grades Two and Six, we hope to implement reforms from January 2027. The modules are being printed now, and we’ll be able to finish them in the near future.”He also said that the Ministry had selected 365 schools across the country to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Grade One reforms, which are already implemented, and expected to receive the results of the survey in October. "This assessment was designed as a scientific survey and would gather the views and experiences of students, parents and teachers. We expect to use the same model always. For instance, when we implement Grades Two and Six reforms next year, we will be using this same method to ascertain their impact,” he said.The Government’s decision to postpone the Grade Six education reforms followed a series of setbacks surrounding the education reform programme, including problems linked to the Grade Six modules and criticism over the consultation process involving teachers, principals and other stakeholders. The situation intensified after an inappropriate web link was discovered in the Grade Six English module. The Government subsequently decided to halt the implementation of the Grade Six reforms and defer them until 2027.&nbsp;

Education reforms: Halted Grade 6 reforms from Jan 2027

The Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Buddhist Sect has stated that Government representatives had informed it that the proposed Animal Welfare Bill would not have any adverse impact on Buddhist religious events, including peraheras (processions), but urged the Government to carefully review the legislation and take action if any provision could affect such traditions.When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (11), Secretary of the Supreme Sangha Council of the Chapter Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera said that clarification had been sought from the Government specifically on whether the proposed legislation would affect the conduct of peraheras.“The Government representatives informed us that there won’t be any adverse impact on peraheras due to this Bill. That is the current situation,” he said.However, he called on the Government to examine the proposed legislation further and ensure that no clause would have an unintended impact on religious and cultural practices.“We also request the Government to carefully consider further if this contains any clauses that will affect peraheras, and take action,” he said.Elephants and tuskers, which are covered by the proposed legislation, have long been part of religious events, including the Kandy Esala Perahera.The issue has emerged amid concerns over the proposed Bill, which was gazetted by the Government on 17 July with the aim of strengthening legal protection for animals and preventing cruelty.The Bill seeks to prohibit acts including assaulting animals, causing unnecessary suffering, overworking animals, using animals unfit for labour, deliberately depriving them of food, water or shelter, and causing unnecessary pain through other means.Convictions for such offences could result in a fine of up to Rs. 250,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, with the Bill proposing penalties of up to Rs. 500,000 and three years’ imprisonment, or both, for the cruel killing of animals.It also contains provisions covering the abandonment of animals, leaving sick or injured animals to die in public places, illegal sterilisation and veterinary treatment by unqualified persons, as well as prohibitions on organising or promoting animal fights and hunting activities that cause injury or death.The proposed legislation also sets requirements for transporting animals without causing unnecessary pain, suffering, injury or danger, with violations carrying a fine of up to Rs. 300,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. It also introduces a licensing system for pet shops and animal breeding centres.

Animal Welfare Bill: Asgiri Chapter seeks safeguards for peraheras 

<ul><li>Minister says fuel allowance issue to be settled through Budget&nbsp;</li></ul>Public Administration Minister Prof. Chandana Abeyratne has criticised the ongoing trade union (TU) action by Grama Niladhari (GN) officers, saying it is unacceptable as the Government has already proposed solutions to their concerns, including the fuel allowance.Speaking to the media, he said that during a recent discussion with the GN TU Alliance, the Government had expressed its willingness to address their concerns through the upcoming Budget.Prof. Abeyratne said any TU action ultimately inconveniences the general public, adding that the failure to accept the proposed solution was causing difficulties for the public. He stressed that the necessary steps had already been taken to resolve the matter.He said the Government had discussed the grievances of GN officers with TUs on several occasions and identified their key concerns. Prof Abeyratne said the matter was subsequently discussed with President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Finance Ministry Secretary, following which the President had agreed to address the issue through a Budget proposal.“This time, this issue will be resolved in the Budget. We explained that matter to the TU leaders,” he said.While acknowledging that TUs have the right to engage in TU action, he said the Government had already taken steps to resolve the issue.He also stressed that such action ultimately inconveniences the public.“Whether the sanitation officer does a strike or the doctor stages a strike, the people are the ones who are inconvenienced,” he said.However, the GN TU Alliance launched TU action on Monday (10) and continued it yesterday (11), citing several demands, including an increase in the fuel allowance. As a result, members of the public who visited GN offices to obtain services faced difficulties.Alliance Chairperson Nandana Ranasinghe said the TU action would be intensified as the Government had not yet provided a solution to their demands.“Today is the second day of our TU action, yet the administrative authorities and the Government have still failed to take our concerns seriously,” he said.He said the Government could either provide the allowance through this year’s (2026) Budget or introduce a temporary allowance until the Budget proposal is implemented.“If the Government pays attention to that and provides a temporary allowance until the Budget is approved, the TU action can be taken a step back,” he said.Ranasinghe said the Ministry Secretary could also instruct Divisional Secretaries and Government Agents to limit the field duties of GN officers and issue a circular restricting excessive travel expenses.He further warned that the TU action would continue if the Government failed to take steps to address their demands.According to Ranasinghe, GN officers had decided not to report for duty island-wide from Monday until yesterday by taking sick leave, citing the authorities’ failure to increase their travel allowance and address several other demands.He stressed that the Rs. 600 travel allowance provided to GNs had not been increased for the past eight years.In 2024, Cabinet approval was granted to provide an allowance equivalent to the cost of 20 litres of fuel in place of the existing travel allowance.

GN strike hits public services  

A group of parents has lodged a complaint with the Kirindiwela Police, alleging that their children were unfairly disadvantaged due to a delay in receiving question papers at the Grade Five Scholarship Examination held on 9 August.The parents said students from Kirindiwela Bogahawatta Jinānanda Primary School, who sat the Examination at Kirindiwela Central College, were scheduled to receive the question paper at 11.15 a.m., but were given it at around 11.30 a.m.They further alleged that the paper was collected at 12.15 p.m., resulting in the students losing nearly 30 minutes of the allotted Examination time.The parents claimed that the delay placed their children at a significant disadvantage and called for appropriate action.An official from the Gampaha Zonal Education Office visited the Examination centre and held discussions with the parents. However, the parents said they lodged the Police complaint after no resolution was reached.

Grade 5 Scholarship Exam:  Police to probe Kirindiwela paper delay  

<ul><li>Social media misinformation complicating public preparedness&nbsp;</li></ul> The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) has raised concerns over poor public compliance with technical disaster warnings, despite procedural challenges faced by the Centre in gathering data, and called on academia to help devise more effective methods of public outreach.Speaking at a press conference held at the University of Kelaniya yesterday (11), DMC Director of Preparedness Planning Chathura Liyanarachchi said that although a system is in place to issue notices and warnings at the earliest possible stage, there is a persistent issue of the public failing to act on such information.He also noted a growing tendency among the public to question the technical data issued by the Centre.“For instance, when we give the notice to stay alert, they complain and ask, what does it mean to stay alert during a flood?” he said.He added that research findings from academics in the humanities are urgently needed to develop solutions for communicating disaster-related information more effectively to the public.Also addressing the conference, Meteorology Department Director General Ajith Wijemannage explained how a gap has developed between institutions that provide technical data and the general public, and how this gap has contributed to the continued spread of misinformation.“We’re not the most effective at communicating the data to the public as the data is more technical. But, we have seen occasions where other parties try to make the public aware on social media platforms in a very attractive manner,” he said.He cited the example of a well-known geography tutor who publishes videos almost daily and explains the El Niño phenomenon in an engaging manner.“He is explaining the El Niño phenomenon in a very attractive way, so people like it. But, the data that he is providing is utterly wrong, as the data is based on very surface-level data and a limited understanding. But, the issue is that the public believes them, not us,” he said.Both officials urged the public to rely on data issued by reliable authorities rather than social media figures or randomly shared information on social media during disasters and when preparing for potential disasters.They also noted that the surge in social media has resulted in an abundance of information, making it crucial for the public to verify the accuracy of information received.“You can always double-check data on social media with the authorities,” Liyanarachchi added.

 DMC flags public distrust of disaster warnings  

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has filed indictments before the Colombo High Court against former Fisheries Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne over an alleged corruption offence.The case has been filed against Senaratne, alleging that he caused a financial loss to the State by awarding a sand removal project at the Kirinda Fisheries Harbour to a Korean company during his tenure as Fisheries Minister.

Tender award loss: CIABOC indicts Rajitha 

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to meet the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) at 1 p.m. today (12) to discuss the Government’s proposal to amend the Constitution to increase the retirement age of judges.Under the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Draft Bill, published in the official Government Gazette on 7 August, the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court Judges would be increased from 65 to 67, while the retirement age of Court of Appeal Judges would be raised from 63 to 65.The amendment also proposes that the Chief Justice retire upon reaching the age of 67 or completing six years in office, whichever comes first.The BASL has unanimously opposed the Government’s proposal to extend the retirement age of judges, with BASL President, attorney Rajeev Amarasuriya, stating that the entire legal profession in the country is firmly against the move.Speaking to the media on 29 July, following a Special General Meeting held at the BASL premises, Amarasuriya said that all lawyers present at the meeting, as well as those who participated online, had voted against the proposal.He said that the proposal had also drawn opposition from judges and warned that the move could have a serious impact on judicial independence.He further described the Government’s decision as an unwise move and said that the BASL would take all possible steps to oppose the proposal, with the backing received at the General Meeting strengthening its position.Amarasuriya cautioned that any action affecting the independence of the Judiciary could have long-term consequences and urged the Government to reconsider the proposal while taking into account the views of the legal community.He said that the Association had been raising objections to the proposal for nearly two months but had not been given an opportunity by the Government to discuss the matter.Meanwhile, President Dissanayake has received a letter from the Chief Prelates of the three main Buddhist Sects opposing the proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges, Cabinet Spokesperson Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday (11).Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, Dr Jayatissa confirmed that the letter had been received by the President.He said that following the concerns raised in the letter, he and Justice Minister, attorney Harshana Nanayakkara, had met with the Chief Prelates and provided clarifications on the proposed constitutional amendment.Dr Jayatissa made the remarks in response to questions from journalists about whether the President had received the letter.

Judges retirement age: Prez-BASL meeting on 22A Bill today 

Officials have pointed out that land administration could be made more systematic by maintaining information on the ownership, boundaries and other relevant details of State lands under a single data system, while land fraud could be minimised by establishing a national digital land information system based on Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates.The need to modernise the land administration system to make it more transparent and efficient through digital technology was emphasised at the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability.The Committee, which met recently at Parliament under the chairmanship of Hector Appuhamy, held a discussion on the roles of institutions responsible for the country’s land sector, the challenges they face and the reforms required in land administration.During the meeting, the need to network all land-related data through an integrated digital system was emphasised in order to minimise the misuse of State land and fraud involving forged deeds.Attention was also drawn to coordination issues relating to land ownership and boundary demarcation among Government institutions, including the Land Reform Commission and the Mahaweli Authority.The Committee emphasised that transparency and efficiency in the land administration sector could be further enhanced by implementing the necessary legal and administrative reforms, introducing digital data systems and strengthening coordination among Government institutions.Meanwhile, the Committee also considered and approved a Bill to amend the Animals Act, No. 29 of 1958.The proposed amendments are intended to bring the transportation of goats, pigs and sheep within the regulatory framework of the Act and facilitate measures to control animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease through the proper regulation of animal transportation.A proposal to amend the Survey Act, No. 17 of 2002 was also considered.Discussions focused on establishing the necessary legal framework for depositing private survey plans prepared by licensed surveyors in the archives of the Survey Department, protecting intellectual property rights and enabling members of the public to obtain certified copies of such plans.

Digital land system proposed to curb fraud 

<ul><li>Says fuel allowance adjustment mistaken for pay increase</li></ul> The Government has not increased the salaries of Members of Parliament by any amount, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said yesterday (11), rejecting claims that MPs had received salary increases of Rs 50,000, Rs 60,000 or Rs 100,000.Responding to questions at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, Jayatissa said the recent claims regarding an increase in MPs’ salaries were linked to adjustments made to the fuel allowance provided to MPs and Government officials.He stressed that no salary increase, whether Rs 50,000, Rs 60,000, Rs 100,000 or any other amount, had been granted to MPs.Explaining the basis for the payments, Jayatissa said MPs and Government officials are entitled to a specified fuel allocation, with the corresponding allowance calculated according to the prevailing fuel price.He said that following the increase in fuel prices from March 2026, the Government had used the fuel price applicable on 1 March 2026 as the basis for calculating the allowance, rather than applying subsequent increases in fuel prices.The relevant circular remained in effect until 1 July, after which the allowance began to be calculated based on the market fuel price prevailing at the time, he said.Accordingly, the amount paid as the fuel allowance could increase when fuel prices rise and decrease when fuel prices fall, Jayatissa explained.The Minister reiterated that any additional amount reflected in payments to MPs was therefore an adjustment to the fuel allowance and did not constitute an increase in their salaries.The clarification comes amid claims circulating that MPs had received substantial salary increases at a time when the Government has been stressing fiscal discipline and expenditure control.

Education reforms: Halted Grade 6 reforms from Jan 2027

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Animal Welfare Bill: Asgiri Chapter seeks safeguards for peraheras

Animal Welfare Bill: Asgiri Ch ...

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GN strike hits public services ...

Grade 5 Scholarship Exam: Police to probe Kirindiwela paper delay

Grade 5 Scholarship Exam: Pol ...

DMC flags public distrust of disaster warnings

DMC flags public distrust of ...

Tender award loss: CIABOC indicts Rajitha

Tender award loss: CIABOC indi ...

Judges retirement age: Prez-BASL meeting on 22A Bill today

Judges retirement age: Prez-BA ...

Digital land system proposed to curb fraud

Digital land system proposed t ...

Govt denies salary hike for MPs

Govt denies salary hike for MP ...

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Animal Welfare Bill: Asgiri Chapter seeks safeguards for peraheras

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GN strike hits public services

GN strike hits public services ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Grade 5 Scholarship Exam: Police to probe Kirindiwela paper delay

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DMC flags public distrust of disaster warnings

DMC flags public distrust of ...

Tender award loss: CIABOC indicts Rajitha

Tender award loss: CIABOC indi ...

Judges retirement age: Prez-BASL meeting on 22A Bill today

Judges retirement age: Prez-BA ...