The National People’s Power states that the incompetence of the government is being shown at all times.
The NPP held a media briefing in Colombo today (25th). The Member of Parliament of the NPP, Dr Harini Amarasuriya and Mr Mahinda Ratnayake of the Executive Committee of the NPP participated. Dr Harini Amarasuriya addressing the media briefing, said, “Many crises have arisen in the country at present. This media briefing is being held to make the public awareness regarding this regard. At present, the government is in a situation where it provides crises and jokes on a daily basis. That is why problems arise that are unbearable as a people or as a country. We do not remember another government that brought the country to such a rapid collapse. The seriousness of this is not only at this moment, but the country’s entire future is in crisis. Institutions, the economy, the health sector, the education sector are all collapsing because of the idiocy of the rulers. People are frustrated. Farmers, fisher-folk, plantation workers, the garment industry, self-employed, and teachers in education, children and parents are all victims of problems. This government cannot find solutions to their problems. Every moment shows the incompetence of the government.
At the same time, they do not respect anything, including the parliamentary culture of the country. There is no awareness about it. Theirs is a journey that is destroying all the systems that run the country. There is an opinion that all these crises will be resolved when Mr Basil Rajapaksa comes to Parliament and becomes a Minister. It has been said for so long that Gotabaya Rajapaksa solves all problems. Before that, it was about Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. Now we are talking about Mr Basil Rajapaksa. What is this joke? The family puts forward one another as heroes. When one fails, he is put aside, and another takes his place. Are there only Rajapaksas in this country who can do work for the country? When will it be realized that there are no magicians to solve these problems? This country has not fallen because a magician could not do it. This country has fallen here because the existing political authority has been manipulating all the country’s systems for its power projects for a long time.
We now need a group of people who are sensitive to social issues, about politics; knowledgeable people who are principled and capable, without that this country cannot be built on nonsense based on one person. Nevertheless, people have a lot of burning issues at the moment. A government is there to solve people’s problems but not to put the blame on others. 6.9 million voted, and a government was appointed to solve problems. With the covid situation, people are in big economic trouble. The same goes for the country as well. People have taken to the streets, unable to bear the hunger. The government is using the lockdown to prevent people from taking to the streets to protest. Lockdown was not used to suppress corona. If it was properly used, it would have withstood a lot of adverse conditions, and mortality would have been reduced. We know that the decrease in the reported number of infected is due to the decrease in PCR. The government is not controlling the covid. It uses covid for its political purposes. People are experiencing the disposition of a cruel regime that has no sense of the people’s issues. Through this, a lot of political lessons are being taught to the people. This situation shows how to intervene to change this situation. We emphasize that even though it is difficult, this situation should be used to learn and intervene to change.
There are a large number of crises in the field of education, from schools to universities. Not just because of technical issues. Inequalities in the field of education multiplied during the covid period. The only answer the government gives is online education. No focus on practical issues and technical issues. What is needed at this time is distance education. There is a big difference between distance education and online education. It proves that the Minister of Education is not even capable of understanding that difference. Several methods can be used for distance education. Television, radio and other modern methods can be used. Education can be tailored according to the age of the children and the current crisis. But over a year and a half, education has left a great burden and pain on children, teachers and parents. We urge the government to intervene immediately and be sensitive about the education that has been abandoned.
If the syllabuses need to be changed, it has to be done. The times of examinations should be changed. We have to rethink the methods of admission to universities. We need to focus on all such areas. By not doing so, the government is doing a severe injustice to our youth. The Kotelawala Defense University Act has been introduced in Parliament amidst these serious issues that exist in education. Ranil – Maithri government did not table this bill in Parliament due to the opposition that arose when it was introduced. But this government has brought it back. This Act will establish a higher education administration mechanism under the control of the Armed Forces in parallel with the University Grants Commission. It is not only for Kotelawala University but will allow other degree awarding institutions. It will allow even schools to be operated. It looks as if the country is to be run under the Ministry of Defense. Through this, education will be militarized. Nowhere in the world is education handed over to the military. There is no problem in running separate institutes to train the army. However, the deployment of the army to provide education to the civilian population distorts education. It would never achieve the desired goals Higher Education should give the country.
On the other hand, the move is to run a private university system with public funds. However, students are also charged. It is a structure contrary to free education. We demand the immediate withdrawal of this bill brought amid all these issues. We call on all organizations and the people, including the trade unions, to oppose it.”
