Teachers and other education professionals are set to come under a new system of mandatory registration, professional licensing and quality assurance, it was reported.
According to the Sunday Observer, Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewe stated that legislation is being fast‑tracked to establish an Education Council, with the Legal Draftsman instructed to prepare the Bill following Cabinet approval.
“The proposed Council has now entered the legal drafting stage,” he said, noting that the Government wants the body established “as soon as possible.”
The initiative follows recommendations of a committee headed by Senior Professor O.G. Dayaratne and subsequent reviews.
Prime Minister and Education Minister Harini Amarasuriya proposed the Council to strengthen standards and quality in the country’s general education sector.
The Council will regulate teachers, principals, advisers, teacher educators, and education administrators.
Its functions will include standardisation, registration, licensing, quality assurance, and accreditation. A professional rating system is also planned to support continuous teacher development.
Kaluwewe added that the framework will extend to private education establishments, aiming to encourage and maintain higher standards across the sector. (Newswire)