UNP: Future of the country blasted by Rajapakse regime

(October, 17, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Ranjith Madduma Bandara UNP Parliamentarian at today’s Media briefing at the UNP Media Unit said that even education, the bedrock of a sound and strong Nation has not been spared by this Rajapakse regime. from its political meddling and muddling.

The Free education introduced by C.W.W.Kannanagara in 1946 solely aimed at helping poor children and those in the Villages, and carefully developed and safeguarded through the UNP periods of tenure in Office has been turned topsy turvy just how the Govt. is now, he added.

A child’s education from Grade 1 to his University, and thereafter have been made such a mess that , to the parents there is nothing more agonising than getting their child admitted to a School. There is no clear principle or policy .Or, if a policy is introduced; it is totally eroded by political interference and undue influence. In School Scholarship admissions, it is alleged over 200 children have been admitted wrongfully in 2006 on a Director of Education‘s instructions to Principals of Schools, while those who scored higher marks at the Scholarship exams have been rejected.

The right to protest against the Minister or Govt.’s atrocities and misdeeds are systematically being undermined, but everything else is unsystematic with this Govt.: when the Teachers protest for a salary increase they are hauled up in Courts. When the University students and Graduates protest, they are tear gassed and mercilessly mauled by the Police. There aren’t even Teachers to correct answer scripts.

The UNP which has always given pride of place to education has decided to demonstrate and protest against the Govt. to put the education system in the right track and develop it to keep it abreast of the new Universal trends.

Commencing 26th October from Kurunegala , enlisting the support of every School, every student, every parent, every Daham Pasala and every village , the UNP will campaign to restore the rights and privileges promised in the Kannangara education policy, he asserted. A petition collecting 100,000 signatures is to be launched by the UNP against the Rajapakse Regime’s destruction of Free Education.

The Mahinda Chintana which promised to provide milk, a mid day meal , free books and other facilities has become the biggest ‘Mahinda Karadara ’ to all children and parents , not only for dishonouring its promises , but, even going to the extent of pillaging their birthrights and the Universal right to education., he concluded.