The educational qualifications of Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe have come under fresh scrutiny, as the New People’s Front submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request to the Department of Examinations, demanding proof of his much-publicized claim that he ranked third in his district at the 1995 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination. The allegation has triggered a heated political storm, with critics accusing the minister and the JVP of misleading the public for political gain.
At a press briefing, New People’s Front Chief Patron Venerable Wellampitiya Sumanadhamma Nayaka Thero, Deputy Leader Upatissa Kumaratunga, Finance Secretary Dinushka Gunasekara, Kolonnawa Organizer Ajith Kumara, and electoral worker Jayasinghe officially handed over a letter to the Information Officer of the Examinations Department. The letter specifically questioned whether Mr. Samarasinghe in fact sat for the A/L Commerce stream in the Anuradhapura District in 1995 and, if so, whether he truly obtained District Rank No. 03 as he has repeatedly claimed in Parliament and public forums.
Deputy Leader Upatissa Kumaratunga pointed out that in the mid-1990s, students who achieved the top five ranks in the North Central Province’s Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts typically entered the prestigious Faculty of Management at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. By contrast, Samarasinghe claims to have entered the University of Kelaniya. “If he truly obtained District Rank 03, why was he not admitted to Sri Jayewardenepura, the first-choice university for management students? This raises serious questions,” Kumaratunga said.
The party further alleged that the JVP may have deliberately placed Samarasinghe in Kelaniya to groom him for student politics and leadership in the Inter-University Students’ Union, rather than based on his actual A/L performance. They argue that such a move would have been calculated to position him as a political leader rather than as a student pursuing academic merit.
The New People’s Front challenged Minister Samarasinghe to reveal his original A/L result sheet to prove his claim and restore credibility. “The JVP and Malima government present themselves as clean, honest, and free of corruption. But if this allegation is true, it shows they too have deceived the people. We will not allow these lies to continue,” the party leaders declared.
The group also appealed to parents and students across the country to be vigilant about what they described as the JVP’s “double standards.” They accused the government of using education as a tool for political indoctrination rather than social advancement, warning that the rights of students and free education could be undermined by politically motivated grooming.
As the political controversy intensifies, the Examinations Commissioner is now expected to verify the truth or falsehood of Samarasinghe’s A/L results. The outcome could have significant implications for both the minister’s credibility and the government’s claim to moral high ground. Until then, the New People’s Front says it will remain vigilant and continue pressing for transparency.
