Harini’s justifications of her errors disgraceful: Lihini Fernando

Colombo, January 9 (Daily Mirror) - While categorically and vehemently rejecting the vile, personalised attacks that have been directed at Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Moratuwa Municipal Councillor of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Lihini Fernando said the Prime Minister failed as the Minister of Education and disappointed and disgusted with her disgraceful justifications of her errors.

"I as a woman and as a female politician who has consistently and unapologetically advocated for women’s representation in politics, I categorically and vehemently reject the vile, personalised attacks that have been directed at you. Your sexual life or sexuality, whether you are married or single is nobody’s concern. The fact that sections of our society, the opposition political camps, have descended to this level of character assassination is disgraceful, regressive, and must be outrightly condemned," she said.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister following a video of her justifying the errors in the English language module to the Mahanayake Thera, Fernando said the Prime Minister failed as the Minister of Education and disappointed and disgusted with her disgraceful justifications.

She said in her letter that "My criticism of you has nothing to do with who you are as a woman. It has everything to do with what you have failed to do as the Minister of Education. I watched the video of your visit to the Malwathu Thero. I didn’t see accountability. I saw justification. I saw someone trying to explain away a serious mistake instead of owning it, and that, frankly, was deeply disappointing and disturbing," she said. 

"You do not need a textbook to explicitly tell a child to visit a website for the message to be clear. When a page is left blank, with headings and a website printed at the top, any Grade 6 child knows what they are expected to do is visit the website and fill the blanks. These kids have studied IT/ Computer from Grade 3 onwards and have visited many websites and have done similar exercises before. When you read the page from the beginning, it is about making friends. The implication is obvious. To now say that the page does not ask students to visit the site is irresponsible. Please don’t insult the intelligence of parents, teachers, little Grade 6 students or the people of this country and please don’t play politics with the lives and safety of children. This is beyond cheap Dr Harini," she further said.

Fernando said the Prime Minister's statement to the Malwathu Thero is appalling and she must apologizefor that as well.

"There is a limit to lying. Where is your so called accountability that you preached like a prayer in your campaign stages ?? 

Answer us please !!," she said.

"My son is in Grade 6 this year. Due of the rushed and poorly handled reforms under your ministry, our children have still not received a single government textbook. The 2026 school year has already begun. Children are sitting in classrooms with no books, no structure, no direction. That failure is not abstract. It lands on real children, it lands on real families and it lands on you.

She said if a reform is serious, textbooks should be finalised by October and handed over before the end of the previous academic year. "This is basic responsibility—not an unreasonable demand. This is governance, that is why you are in that chair.

What troubles me most is not that a mistake was made. Mistakes happen. What troubles me is your continued refusal to take full responsibility, accountability and your decision to seek cover by running to religious leaders instead of facing parents and the public honestly.

The least you owe the Grade 6 children of this country—including my own child—is to pause and recall this failed reform, fix the process properly, and implement it in 2027 with the care, consultation, and seriousness it demands. Dr Harini, you have failed as the Minister of Education, and my Grade 6 son stands today as a victim of your callous and irresponsible actions. We are deeply sad, disappointed and disgusted with your disgraceful justifications! ," she added.