Education holds power to unite people politically, socially and economically – PM Harini

Education is a process of sharing collective knowledge and has the power to bring people together politically, socially and economically, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a conference held in Colombo, aimed at fostering cooperation among countries in Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific region regarding the role of education within the Green Transition.

The Erasmus+ Programme, funded by the European Union, is one of the world’s leading initiatives for international cooperation in education, training, youth, and sports. Its objectives include enhancing mobility between countries, intercultural exchange, capacity development, and policy advancement.

The programme creates opportunities for collaboration and funding in higher education, vocational training, youth development, and institutional partnerships in Sri Lanka. The conference will be held until November 20 in Colombo.

Further expressing her views, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

As a legacy of the post-colonial education system, Sri Lanka has become a country with a high literacy rate.
 
However, today, education has become something that focuses only on individual success and achievement. As a result, the planning and principles of education have become heavily driven by competition.
 
Consequently, our education system has become extremely competitive and examination-oriented. Education should not be a process aimed solely at individual achievement.
 
What we now strive for is to move away from this educational model and restore the true purpose of education where it aims to be not merely scoring high marks, but sharing collective knowledge and strengthening transformative learning.
 
We often forget the transformative power of education. It goes beyond personal achievement. Education has the ability to unite people politically, socially, and economically. Therefore, it is essential to shape education into a shared space of mutual expectation and mutual success.
 
Within our new education reforms, promoting collaborative learning, fostering a sense of responsibility towards one another, building responsibility towards the world, and especially towards the environment amidst today’s global challenges, have become extremely important.
 
Amid the spread of unscientific methods and misinformation in the modern world, the necessity of education has become even more pronounced. Moreover, the pressures within the university system can also be overcome through this transformation.
 
The importance of such dialogues, exchanges, and discussions emphasises once again the need for transformative education, a form of learning that encourages sharing of ideas and working together.
 
Transforming our education system from a cage of competition into a free space of collaboration and responsible knowledge-sharing is one of the fundamental challenges Sri Lanka must overcome for its future.
 
The event was attended by the Ambassador of the European Union to Sri Lanka Carmen Moreno, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, as well as regional representatives and government officials.