COLOMBO: (Oct 31) Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Friday praised India’s sustained assistance in strengthening the island nation’s education sector, calling it a “pillar of cooperation” in bilateral relations.
Speaking at a ceremony in Polonnaruwa, Amarasuriya — who also serves as the Minister of Education — expressed gratitude to the Indian government for its “consistent and meaningful contributions” to education and skill development across Sri Lanka.
She and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha jointly inaugurated the Multi-Ethnic Trilingual School in Polonnaruwa, constructed with an Indian grant, the Indian High Commission said.
The project aims to promote inclusive, multilingual education by accommodating Sinhala, Tamil, and English-speaking students under one roof — a model reflecting both linguistic harmony and post-war reconciliation efforts.
High Commissioner Jha reiterated India’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s human capital development through educational grants, scholarships, teacher training, and digital learning initiatives. “Education is at the heart of our people-to-people connection,” he said.
India remains one of Sri Lanka’s largest development partners, with projects in infrastructure, health, education, housing, and cultural preservation worth over USD 5 billion, including more than USD 600 million in grants.