Free education only nominal today: Dr. Harini

By Ajith Siriwardana

Colombo (Daily Mirror) -The free education policy introduced by C.W.W. Kannangara after a long struggle is only nominal today as the access to quality education is decided while based on the economic power of the people which is against the principles of free education, NPP MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said today.

She said the free education policy was introduced by C.W.W. Kannangara on the basis that access to quality education should not be decided upon by the economic power of the people and said that access to quality education is decided today based on the economic power of the people.

"C.W.W. Kannangara struggled for years to introduce the free education policy to ensure equal education opportunities for everyone. It was introduced based on the fact that acess to education should not be decided based on the economic power of the people. Free education is only nominal today. By today, whether we recieve quality education or not is decided upon by our economic power," she said at an event in Ridimaliyadda in Badulla.

The MP said if the policy of free education is sucessfully implemented in Sri Lanka, the concept of popular schools will not exist today.

She said discrepancy in the education sector today is mainly due to the cutting down on funds allocated to eduction from the annual budget.

"The governments continuously cut down on funds allocated to education through the annual budgets," she said.