DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “Education reforms postponed until 2027; action will be taken responsibly” – Cabinet Spokesperson | “Let’s rise from the catastrophe and build a better country” – President at the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ inauguration ceremony Thinakaran: “Let’s work together to rebuild the country; a long-term plan to restore the central highlands” – President Anura’s speech yesterday while launching the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ national programme | Five-storey medical ward for Mullaitivu Hospital; MoU signed with the Indian government |
Thinakkural: Grade 6 education reforms will not take place this year; the government has stepped back! The Cabinet has decided to commence them from the year 2027 | “The Prime Minister will not resign; the Cabinet will not change either” – Cabinet Spokesperson | Wimal Weerawansa has abandoned the Satyagraha protest demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Harini Thamilan: Government backtracks on new education reforms! Implementation for Grade 6 postponed to next year | IMF delegation to arrive in Sri Lanka | Colombo District Court has issued an order preventing the removal of a member from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Grade 6 educational reforms postponed by one year: a verdict from the Cabinet to review reforms; disciplinary action to be taken against those who are responsible for the problematic module; Grade 1 reforms to be implemented this year as planned Divaina: Grade 6 education reforms reversed by one year: problematic English module to be reviewed | “Parliamentary debate related to the NCM against Harini Amarasuriya to be held on January 22 and 23: prepared to allocate three days if two days are not sufficient” – Minister Nalinda Jayatissa Mawbima: Grade 6 educational reforms postponed by one year – A decision from the Cabinet | A 25% tax from the US for countries that have commercial ties with Iran
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Dinamina: “Grade 6 educational reforms postponed to 2027: Grade 1 educational reforms to be implemented as planned” – Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa Aruna: Grade 6 educational reforms postponed – A decision from the Cabinet Anidda: This paper is published only on Fridays |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Canada’s National Observer
“Encourage Tamil Nadu businesspersons to invest in the North and East” – Canadian MP’s request to the Tamil Nadu government
Thinakkural, Virakesari
Jaffna-born Canadian MP Juanita Nathan urged the Tamil Nadu government to encourage local businesses to invest in Sri Lanka’s North and East during her address at the Ayalaga Thamizhar conference in Chennai on Monday (12th).
She highlighted that Tamil people in these war-affected regions face significant challenges in rebuilding their economy and could benefit from the support of the economically prosperous Tamil Nadu state.
Nathan noted that the global Tamil diaspora, particularly the large community in Canada, is ready to collaborate with the Tamil Nadu government to support these development efforts.
Furthermore, she emphasised that such investments would foster mutual economic benefits for both Tamil Nadu and the Sri Lankan Tamil community while strengthening Canada-India trade and investment ties.
“Sexual violence during conflict is part of structured violence; no progress in accountability” – Announcement by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Virakesari The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a 30-page report yesterday (13th) asserting that sexual violence during and after Sri Lanka’s armed conflict was a systematic weapon used to suppress communities. The report, titled ‘We have lost everything, even the hope for justice’, notes that these structured acts could be classified as war crimes or crimes against humanity. While President Anura Kumara Dissanayake pledged to ensure accountability during his inaugural address on November 21, 2024, the report highlights that survivors continue to face significant barriers to justice over a year later. OHCHR urged the government to publicly acknowledge the involvement of state forces and implement international recommendations to rebuild trust among victims. |
“President visiting Jaffna must immediately release 1,000 acres of land in Valikamam North” – Vali. North Pradeshiya Sabha Chairperson S. SugirthanThinakkural Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha Chairperson Somasundaram Sugirthan stated that 1,000 acres of the 2,500 acres of land currently held by the military can be released immediately to facilitate resettlement. He noted that residents displaced since June 1990 remain unable to return to their homes in Palali and Myliddy, despite supporting the NPP in the election. Sugirthan urged the president to open key roads, extend Palali road access beyond 7:00 p.m., and rescind a 12-year-old gazette for the acquisition of 3,000 acres during his upcoming visit for Thai Pongal. He also urged the president to release private lands in Thaiyiddy as a gesture of goodwill during his upcoming visit to Jaffna. Sugirthan requested that the two acres previously agreed upon be released immediately, followed by swift action to release the remaining portions of the land. |
Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep meets with Kanimozhi
Thinakaran
Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep met Tamil Nadu MP Kanimozhi in Chennai on January 13, during his official visit for Ayalaga Thamizhar Day.
During the meeting, MP Kanimozhi emphasised the urgency of a high-level dialogue between Sri Lanka and India to find a lasting solution to the ongoing fisherfolk conflict.
The representatives also held discussions regarding the welfare and future of Sri Lankan refugees currently residing in Tamil Nadu.
Deputy Minister Pradeep put forward several suggestions to address the fundamental grievances and long-term stability of the refugee community.
This interaction marks a continued effort to engage with regional stakeholders on humanitarian and maritime concerns.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: AsianMirror
“This is not the system change the people expected” – Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa
Divaina, Dinamina
Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa stated that while every parent hopes to protect and ensure a bright future for their children, the right to education, the most valuable and secure asset for a child, has been violated and snatched away.
Premadasa remarked that the education system has been subjected to obscenity that distorts children’s minds.
He pointed out that while educational reforms should aim to provide a standard of education superior to that of countries like Finland, Japan, Malaysia, and Europe, the current implementation is instead harmful.
Premadasa emphasised that the system change expected by the people was the creation of a civilised country, but by enslaving education to obscenity, the people’s mandate has been betrayed, and the expected system change has been lost.
He concluded that in such a situation, every parent and citizen in the country must think seriously about the present and the future of education.
“The SJB and the UNP will join forces at the correct time” – Thalatha AthukoralaDinamina General Secretary of the UNP and former Minister Thalatha Athukorala stated that the SJB and the UNP will unite at the right time. The General Secretary mentioned that the Leader of the UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has proposed a programme and that work is being done to discuss that programme alongside the proposal of the SJB to unite at the proper time in the future. Speaking at a press conference held in Colombo on Monday (12th), the General Secretary further stated that the members of the UNP and the SJB in local government institutions have reached an agreement to work together. |
Cabinet approval to reconstruct 1,200 places of religious worship damaged by DitwahDinamina Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Gamagedara Dissanayake states that the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs has taken steps to provide an amount of Rs. 7.5 million for a religious place completely destroyed due to Cyclone Ditwah, and an amount of Rs. 5 million for a religious place partially damaged. The deputy minister declared this during the Matale District Shasanarakshaka Balamandala meeting yesterday (13th) at the Matale District Secretariat Office. Approximately 1,200 religious shrines belonging to all religions have been affected due to the disaster situation, and Cabinet approval has been granted to provide these funds for the speedy reconstruction of those places.
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Debate on the act to abolish the pensions of MPs to be held in February
Dinamina
It was reported that plans are in place to pass the bill to abolish the pensions of Members of Parliament following a debate scheduled to be held in February.
The relevant bill was presented to Parliament on January 6 by Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara.
Accordingly, a period of two weeks has been granted for those opposing this bill to take legal action.
Following the passage of this bill, the pensions of 512 retired Members of Parliament (including spouses) will be abolished, and according to the bill, the entitlement to pensions for Members of Parliament retiring in the future will also be abolished.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Sri Lanka Mirror
“Grade 6 educational reforms postponed to 2027: Grade 1 educational reforms to be implemented as planned” – Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The government has decided to review the Grade 6 curriculum reforms, which were scheduled to be implemented starting this year under the new education reforms, and to commence them from the year 2027.
Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated yesterday (13th) during the Cabinet media briefing that Grade 1 education reforms will be implemented as planned this year.
Minister Jayatissa further stated that the decision regarding the Grade 6 reforms was taken based on the findings of investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Ministry of Education regarding the controversial Grade 6 English module.
Reportedly, the Governing Council of the National Institute of Education is set to take disciplinary action against the officers responsible for the relevant incident.
Jayatissa added that the relevant education reform activities will be implemented accordingly based on five main pillars: human resource development, infrastructure development and administrative reforms, assessment and evaluation activities, curriculum development, and public awareness and promotion.
“The disaster will not be used as a reason to reverse [the country’s] journey” – President at the inauguration ceremony of ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thamilan
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that instead of an era where rulers protected themselves by blaming things on disasters and pandemics, he will work to bequeath to the people a better country than what existed by rising again in the face of disaster.
The President, who said that the agenda currently prepared to move the country forward is a project that builds the future of the country sustainably, also declared that he is acting with the firm determination not to fold back that agenda in the face of any disaster.
The President made these statements while participating in the inauguration ceremony of the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ national programme held yesterday (13th) at the Lotus Hall of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) premises.
Emphasising that the government will not use the disaster as a cover to reverse or paralyse the programme planned to move the country forward on a sustainable development path with a transformation in all sectors, the President invited everyone to join and work together to efficiently move forward the programme of rebuilding the country by integrating all potentials.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Wimal Weerawansa ends the Satyagraha – Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
2. Senior journalist Iqbal Athas passes away – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
3. “Investigations will be carried out into the officials who are responsible for the problematic module” – President– Aruna, Thinakkural, Thamilan
4. “Will not remove education from Harini” – Minister Nalinda Jayatissa – Lankadeepa, Aruna, Thinakkural
5. “An amendment to the goals of the IMF programme due to Ditwah” – CBSL Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe – Divaina, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
6. “Parliamentary debate related to the NCM against Harini Amarasuriya to be held on January 22 and 23: prepared to allocate three days if two days are not sufficient” – Minister Nalinda Jayatissa– Divaina, Thinakkural
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