Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has decided to prohibit private tuition on Full Moon Poya Days and Sunday mornings as done by Central and Sabaragamuwa Chief Ministers Sarath Ekanayaka and W.J.M. Lokubandara.

At a function to mark the distribution of Rs.100,000 to daham pasals in the Western Province under the ‘SarudhamArunella’ programme, he said laws will be introduced in the Western Province to prohibit private tuition on Poya Days and Sunday mornings.

“I have received requests from religious leaders, parents and social organisations asking that tuition classes be banned on these days. If we are to produce law abiding and God fearing citizens their early education must begin with a religious background and therefore attending daham pasals is extremely vital,” Mr. Ranatunga said. He said baning private tuition on Poya Days and Sundays was not an easy task because the provincial council must consult all stakeholders before introducing new legislation and referring them to the council’s consultative committees.

The largest number of private tuition classes with the largest number of students is in the Western Province. The Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces have banned tuition classes on Sundays and Poya Days.

Technology and Research Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka had said recently that private schools and private tuition had spoilt the spirit of free education and that parents spent billions of rupees annually to send their children to tuition classes.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka