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Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the Government has planned to introduce relevant changes in the higher education sector in alignment with the new reforms being implemented in the primary and secondary education sectors.

The Prime Minister made these remarks in parliament while responding to questions raised by Member of Parliament Manjula Sugath Rathnayaka, according to the Prime Minister’s Media Division.

The Prime Minister further stated:

“A special expert committee appointed for this purpose has been in operation over the past six months, and based on the report of this panel, existing issues in the higher education sector will be identified and the necessary reforms will be implemented.

“A total number of 281,810 students sat for the 2025 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination, of whom 176,538 qualified for university admission. Following the subject streams, the number of qualified students is as follows: 32,935 in Biological Sciences, 23,012 in Physical Sciences, 39,608 in Commerce, 58,269 in Arts, 4,199 in the General Stream, 12,472 in Engineering Technology, and 6,043 in Bio-Systems Technology and 42,937 students are expected to be admitted to universities.
 
“While ensuring the quality of education, the Government gives priority to improving facilities for university students. It has also been decided to maintain the intake for first-degree admissions at the same level as in previous years.

“A new course in Geographic Information Systems has been introduced at the University of Ruhuna, and a course in Electronic and Intelligent Systems Engineering has been introduced at the University of Peradeniya from the academic year 2025/2026. Fifty students will be enrolled for each of these new programmes. Steps have already been completed to release the cut-off marks and forward the registration lists to the respective universities.

“Responding to a question raised by the Member of Parliament K. Kader Mastan regarding preschool education, the Prime Minister stated:
 
“As most preschools in the country are managed by the private sector, the Ministry currently has no provision to offer permanent appointments or salaries to their staff. However, steps are already being taken to provide a certain allowance to volunteer teachers in selected preschools under Provincial Councils.

“By 2027, the entire preschool education system is expected to undergo comprehensive reform, with necessary measures being jointly undertaken by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.

“In addition, based on the recommendations of the National Education Commission, a national policy to regulate preschool education is scheduled to be established in 2026. Under this policy, teacher guidelines and model activity manuals are being prepared, along with plans to conduct teacher training programmes at the provincial level.

“Commenting on volunteer teachers, the Prime Minister emphasized that, in accordance with the Cabinet decision dated 04.01.2007, the policy of not recruiting any volunteer teachers beyond the approved 4,700 teacher aides will continue to be implemented.”

(Adaderana.lk)

Sri Lanka is set to take a major leap in its digital economy with the launch of direct PayPal payment receiving facilities from May 15, marking a long-awaited breakthrough for local freelancers, entrepreneurs and online service providers.

The government announced that all arrangements have been finalized to enable direct receipt of funds through PayPal, one of the world’s leading online payment platforms, following years of appeals from the country’s business and technology sectors.

The initiative became possible after months of discussions involving the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the private banking sector to remove legal and technical barriers that had previously blocked direct PayPal transfers into the country.

With the new system in place, local users will no longer be forced to depend on unofficial money transfer methods or overseas addresses to receive payments from international clients.

The government stated that the move is expected to provide significant support to small and medium-scale online businesses by allowing payments to be deposited directly into local bank accounts, while also strengthening official foreign exchange inflows to the country.

Authorities further noted that the entire process will operate under the supervision of the Central Bank, ensuring transparency in transactions and improving the collection of tax revenue linked to online earnings.

Economic analysts believe the introduction of the service will become a major milestone in the expansion of Sri Lanka’s digital commerce sector and create new opportunities for the country’s growing freelance and IT workforce.

The All Ceylon Restaurant Owners’ Association has decided to increase the prices of Fried Rice, Biryani, and Nasi Goreng by Rs. 25 with effect from midnight today (07).

The association also announced price increases for plain tea and milk tea at restaurants operating using Laughs Gas cylinders.

Chairman of the association, Harshana Rukshan, stated that around 25% to 30% of eateries and restaurants use Laughs gas cylinders and are finding it increasingly difficult to bear the rising cost of LP gas.

Accordingly, the price of plain tea at such outlets has been increased by Rs. 5, while milk tea prices have gone up by Rs. 10.

Meanwhile, the prices of short eats have been increased by Rs. 5, he said. 

However, the association noted that there will be no price increase for ‘Egg Rotis’ and ‘Parathas’.

(Adaderana.lk)

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that Vietnam Airlines will commence direct flights between Sri Lanka and Vietnam within this year. 

Speaking at a joint media event held with visiting President of Vietnam, Tô Lâm, he further stated that bilateral trade between the two countries is expected to reach USD 1 billion by 2030.

President Tô Lâm, in his remarks, noted that Vietnam seeks to further strengthen relations with Sri Lanka across all sectors, reaffirming the commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation.

(Adaderana.lk)

A group of 13 Australians related to alleged Islamic State jihadists is returning home from Syria, Australian authorities said Wednesday (May 6), warning some will face arrest.

The four women and nine children, who had been living in Roj camp in Syria, are expected to land in Sydney and Melbourne airports on Thursday, according to local media.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he received an alert on Wednesday morning when the group’s travel booking was made.

“The government is not assisting and will not assist these individuals,” he told a news conference.

“They made an appalling, disgraceful decision. If any of these individuals find their way back to Australia, if they have committed crimes, they can expect to face the full force of the law, without exception.”

Police said they collected evidence in Syria as they investigated whether Australians had committed crimes under Australian law, including travelling to a prohibited area and engaging in slave trade.

“Some individuals will be arrested and charged,” Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said.

She did not indicate when they would be arrested, and said others in the group will remain under investigation.

“Children who return in the cohort will be asked to undergo community integration programmes, therapeutic support, and countering violent extremism programmes,” she added.

“HORRIFIC CHOICE”

The Australian government has issued an exclusion order preventing another woman in the Syrian camp from entering Australia.

“These are people who have made what is a horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an extraordinary situation,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters.

Australia’s Human Rights Commission president, Hugh de Kretser, in March urged the government to support the return of 34 Australian women and children living in the Roj camp, where they have been held for seven years, noting Australian citizens had previously returned from the camp in 2019, 2022 and last year.

Australia made it an offence to travel to the Islamic State’s stronghold of Raqqa province in Syria between 2014 and 2017, an attempt to stop its citizens joining the militant group.

A woman who returned from Syria in 2022 was later charged by Australian police with entering a terrorist controlled area.

Around 2,000 foreign national women and children remain living in Roj camp, displaced after the collapse of the Islamic State in March 2019, Syrian officials said in March.

Source: AFP