Education Minister’s message not new, printed since 1980: Akila

While rejecting claims made by a certain media outlets, Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam today said that the State had not incurred any loss because of the printing of Education Ministers' message with the photo on school textbooks.

“It had been in practice since 1980,” he said.

Speaking to the media at the Ministry, after observing the media reports regarding the claims, the Minister said he had realised the media reports had published based on false allegations to tarnish his image.

"I did not want to print my image or such messages on textbooks in the aim of building my political image or some other activity. The Commissioner of General Educational Publications, I.M.K.B. Illangasinghe had explained to me on how this message comes on textbooks since the year 1980.

“The messages of the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the former Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana were also printed on previous textbooks in colour," the Minister said.

"Certain media reports claim that I had requested Mr. Illangasinghe to print those messages and the image on the books to promote my political career. As a Minister, I do not have to request him. If I want I could have ordered him," he said.

“Mr. Illangasinghe has sent an affidavit saying that there was no cost involved in printing the message or the photo on textbooks, He has also said that he had informed the issue at the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC).

However, the Minister said that he had been requested to be present at the PSC only if he wanted to clarify these allegations. But again they had been informed to be present at the PSC on July 1 and 8.

“Because of the 52-day government, there was a delay in distributing the textbook. because the responsible minister had removed my message and the photo from more than 800,000 textbooks and reprinted.

“He also had requested to remove the national anthem from the textbooks. Therefore, for the first time in education history, many textbooks had been printed and published without the message of the Education Minister,” he said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

Video by Damith