History and aesthetic subjects not removed: PM responds to allegations

• History and aesthetic subjects included as a main subject under humanities and social sciences stream
• Elective subject for all students who select various streams such as STEM

By Ajith Siriwardana

Refuting various reports that history and aesthetic subjects have been removed under new education reforms, Education Minister and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya said history and aesthetic subjects have been included as elective subjects.

She said five compulsory subjects and a list of elective subjects, including history and aesthetic subjects, have been included under the new reforms.

The Prime Minister said many subjects have been proposed under various streams and that history and aesthetic subjects have been included as a main subject under the humanities and social sciences stream.

“Students are required to select four subjects under one stream. So, a student who selects the humanities and social sciences stream needs to select history and aesthetic subjects as a main subject under the four subjects,” she said.

The Prime Minister said all students who select various streams, such as STEM, can select history and aesthetic subjects as elective subjects.

She said some people were criticising the reforms, citing that history and aesthetic subjects have been removed in a move to sabotage the new reforms.

The Prime Minister said new reforms were introduced after comprehensive discussions and after considering the opinions of the experts in the education sector, such as the opinion of the advisory panel of the National Institute of Education (NIE).