Education Ministry official denies revealing details on school text books before PCoI

The Education Ministry's Director (School Supplies) has refuted media reports of his remarks at a Presidential Commission against the Education Minister recently.

I.M.K.B. Illangasinghe, the Director, while providing evidence before the Presidential Commission probing state sector corruption had said the government had to incur extra expenditure to print a colour photograph of the Education Minister in all text books.

However, in an affidavit handed over to Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Mr. Illangasinghe stated that the media had misquoted him while he gave his testimony before the Commission on May 24.

He had also denied stating that the Education Ministry had to bear additional costs for the printing of Mr. Kariyawasam's photograph along with his message in all school text books.

It is learnt that Minister Kariyawasam is expecting to seek compensation worth Rs 500 million from media outlets which had published the false news article.

However, the Minister has been summoned before the Presidential Commission on July 08 to provide a statement following the remarks made by the Education Ministry's official.