From Protest to Power: An Activist’s U-Turn Stuns a Nation
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who also serves as the Education Minister, has created a major political controversy with a stunning declaration in Parliament. She stated there “was never a demand” to allocate 6% of the GDP to education. This claim has sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka’s political landscape, as it directly contradicts a foundational goal of the country’s education rights movement for over ten years.
Amarasuriya firmly insisted that her administration never made such a call. This was immediately challenged by critics and political analysts who pointed out that the 6% figure has been a central slogan and a key demand for student unions, teacher associations, university academics, and civil society groups for more than a decade. This demand is a well-documented part of Sri Lanka’s modern education discourse and a symbol of the public’s fight for better education standards.
Detailing the current financial allocation, the Prime Minister said the government allocates 2.04% of GDP to education, with Rs. 7.04 billion earmarked for the 2026 budget. She defended this level, arguing that any funding increases must be “gradual” and implemented alongside crucial structural reforms. She reiterated that “simply allocating money without reforms is useless.” However, many observers see this stance as a tactic to downplay long-standing public pressure for greater education funding and an attempt to dismiss the historical record of education advocacy.
The situation is particularly controversial given Amarasuriya’s own background. Political observers note that she was once a member of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA), the very organization that championed the 6% of GDP demand as its central platform. This perceived U-turn has fueled accusations that the administration is trying to redefine or ignore this key chapter in Sri Lanka’s education struggle.
Meanwhile, opposition parliamentarian Chamara Sampath used the session to credit former education ministers Bandula Gunawardena and Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. He stated that their tenures saw the largest education budgets to date, which he said strengthened schools, universities, and other key educational initiatives across the country.
