Sri Lanka’s Parliament consists a total of 225 members, out of which 47 are cabinet ministers. The government consists of an additional 20 state ministers and 25 deputy ministers.

On March 15, this year, The Daily News newspaper, quoting Prof. M.O.A. de Zoysa of the University of Peradeniya, reported that 94 of Sri Lanka’s parliamentarians do not even possess the basic qualification of an Ordinary Level Examination.

This, we are lead to believe, is the educational standard of Sri Lanka’s public representatives.

In Singapore, with a population of over 5 million, 20 of the 22 Cabinet Ministers, possess a minimum qualification of a post graduate degree.

Singapore’s Gross Domestic Product or GDP in 2015 exceeded 290 billion US Dollars.

India, with a massive population of 1.3 billion people, has 26 Cabinet Ministers and 49 State Ministers.

A majority of the cabinet ministers possess a degree in law. India’s GDP in 2015 surpassed 2.9 trillion US Dollars.

The United Kingdom which has a population of over 65 million, has 23 Cabinet Ministers including the Prime Minister and Chancellor.

Ten of the UK Cabinet Ministers are either Oxford or Cambridge University degree holders, while the others all have degrees at other reputed universities in the UK.

Britain’s GDP in 2015 was over 2.8 trillion US Dollars.

By contrast Sri Lanka, with a population of over 20 million, has a total of 92 ministers in the government. This includes 47 cabinet ministers, 20 state and 25 deputy ministers. In 2015 Sri Lanka recorded a GDP of 82.32 billion US Dollars.

The educational qualifications of the ministers are not accessible.

In other countries this information is easily available. Why not in Sri Lanka?.

News1st made a request from the Secretary General of Parliament, under the provisions of the Right to Information Act, to disclose the educational qualifications of our Parliamentarians.

The Information Officer of Parliament has replied in writing, agreeing that a response to our request would be given within fourteen days.

Will the educational qualifications of MPs be disclosed by Parliament?

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