PM Harini says record Rs. 749 billion allocated for education in Budget 2027

November 13, 2026 at 4:32 PM
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By Newswire Editorial

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says the government has allocated over Rs. 749 billion for the education sector through Budget 2027, marking what she described as the largest investment in education in Sri Lanka’s history.

Addressing Parliament today (13) during the debate on Budget 2027, the Prime Minister said the allocation represents more than 12% of total government expenditure.

She said the government has already provided smart boards to more than 4,570 schools and internet facilities to over 6,000 schools as part of efforts to modernise the education sector.

The Prime Minister also revealed that the curricula of National Colleges of Education, which had remained unchanged for 17 years, are being updated, while smart classrooms have been established at five additional teacher training colleges, including the Maharagama National College of Education.

Commenting on the country’s economic performance, PM Amarasuriya rejected allegations that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) had fallen to a record low in 2025.

She claimed that Sri Lanka attracted approximately USD 1.4 billion in FDI during 2025, the highest annual inflow recorded between 2016 and 2025.

The Prime Minister further stated that Sri Lanka maintained an economic growth rate of 5% in 2025, while the country’s central government debt had declined from the 114% of GDP recorded at the end of 2022.

She also highlighted improvements in the performance of 52 major State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), which she said had collectively recorded losses of Rs. 74.6 billion in 2022 but had since returned to profitability.

Regarding public sector employment, the Prime Minister said nearly 40,000 individuals had been recruited through a transparent, merit-based process without political interference.

She emphasised that Budget 2027 was designed to support Sri Lanka’s transition from economic stabilisation towards long-term economic transformation.

Concluding her remarks, PM Amarasuriya called for constructive political dialogue based on facts and data, urging all parties to work together towards rebuilding the country. (Newswire)