Kahahena, Sri Lanka – Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Transport, Highways, and Mass Media, declared that his contributions to education have been for the benefit of not only the current generation but also future, unborn generations. Speaking at a special campaign event in support of Ranil Wickremesinghe, the independent candidate contesting under the “Gas Cylinder” symbol, Gunawardena criticized the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) for opposing advancements in education, particularly in the introduction of technology streams across Sri Lanka.
Gunawardena stated, “Neither the United National Party (UNP) nor any other party opposed the introduction of technology education across the country. Only the JVP worked against it. They have no vision for the future.”
Revolutionizing Education
The Minister recalled his tenure as the Minister of Education, during which he spearheaded significant reforms, particularly the introduction of technology streams to the national curriculum. He noted that, when he was a student, education was limited to traditional streams like science, arts, and commerce, which he believes are insufficient for the demands of the modern world.
“As the Minister of Education, I introduced technology streams such as Information Technology, Biosystems Technology, Engineering Technology, and Science for Technology to the education system. These were crucial for equipping Sri Lanka’s children with the skills needed to face the future,” he explained.
To support this shift, Gunawardena oversaw the construction of 251 Mahindodaya Technology Faculties across the country, providing students with access to computer labs, language labs, and math labs, equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
Expanding Higher Education
Gunawardena also highlighted his efforts to expand technology education at the university level. “When we were in university, there were faculties for science and medicine, but none for technology. Now, 13 universities in Sri Lanka have faculties of technology, including two in my own Homagama constituency—one at Jayawardenepura University and another at Colombo University,” he said.
Criticism of JVP
The Minister took aim at the JVP, accusing the party of actively working to undermine the progress made in education. “When we were building thousands of schools across Sri Lanka, the JVP worked to destroy them. This is a party that has added nothing for the betterment of the country,” he remarked, noting that even as he and others were modernizing education, the JVP resorted to disruptive tactics.
Despite these obstacles, Gunawardena expressed pride in his role in transforming the country’s education system, which he called the most significant change since the free education policy introduced by C.W.W. Kannangara.
“Most of the children who are going abroad today to pursue careers in information technology and engineering technology owe their success to the reforms we introduced. It’s a legacy I am proud of, and it’s for both the born and unborn generations of this country,” Gunawardena concluded.
The campaign event, held in the Waga, Kahahena, and Diddeniya areas, was part of the ongoing efforts to secure support for Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming presidential election.
