Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana yesterday said that he succeeded in introducing the technology stream, which had not been implemented in Sri Lanka for a long time, for higher education.
“We had to face many challenges and insults. However, we started the work of educating children needed for the future world under the subjects of Information Technology, Engineering Technology, Biosystems Technology”
The Minister was speaking at the laying of the foundation stone for the flyover connecting Munidasa Cumaratunga Vidyalaya Primary Section and Secondary Section in Kaduwela yesterday
This bridge is constructed by the Road Development Authority. It is an essential construction for the school for a long time.
“Cumarathunga Munidasa who rendered a great service to the nation and the Sinhala language worked as a teacher in this school in the past. This school is a fortunate place to have the company of such great scholars. The identity of a nation is related to the mother tongue of its people. That is why the UNESCO has advised that primary education should be provided in the child’s mother tongue.” he said
He said that it has been made mandatory to provide primary education in the mother tongue used by each ethnic group. “The difference between ethnic groups can be recognized only by language. Such a unique language has a great mission. Cumaratunga Munidasa once said, “A nation that ignores new things will not stand up in the world.” If we do not change to fit the constantly changing world, if our thoughts, wishes, attitudes, customs, dharma, etc. do not change, we will not have a future. The children should be given formal education in Information Technology. The literacy of the future world is determined by the knowledge of information technology”, he said.
“Even now, neighbouring India earns more than two hundred billion US dollars a year through IT exports. But in our country, we earn only 1.75 billion from it. In the 1,000 Mahindodaya Technical Labs that I established, a computer lab with 40 computers, a language lab with 20 computers, a distance education unit, and a math lab were installed. Although this school does not have such a technical laboratory, I believe that it will be able to do the necessary work in the future”
“If we don’t look more than we see, if we don’t listen more than we hear, our country will not be able to create a future. Seventy-five years after independence, our country has become a bankrupt country. The country does not have the money to allocate even for essential development projects. The country will not receive any foreign aid until the foreign debt is restructured. I believe that with the contribution of all international organizations and legal consulting companies, we will be able to restart the stalled development activities in Sri Lanka as soon as the debt restructuring is successful.”
Parliamentarians Premanath C. Dolawatta, AAL, Chairman of Colombo District Development Committee, Member of Parliament Dr. Major Pradeep Udugoda, Director General of Road Development Authority S. Weerakoon, local political representatives, government officials, parents, students and children were present.
