The Government has launched a public consultation process to gather views and proposals for a new national policy framework on higher education.

The initiative is being undertaken under the guidance of Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Harini Amarasuriya, with a panel of experts currently engaged in drafting the proposed framework.

As part of the process, several rounds of consultations have already been held with stakeholders representing the education and higher education sectors to obtain recommendations and feedback, the Ministry said.

The Ministry has also decided to seek public input to ensure broader participation in shaping the future direction of higher education in Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, an online questionnaire has been published on https://mohe.gov.lk/survey.html, allowing the public to submit their views and proposals.

The survey can be accessed through the Higher Education Division website at www.mohe.gov.lk and will form part of the consultation process leading to the development of the proposed policy framework.

The Ministry encouraged students, academics, education professionals and the general public to contribute their views as part of the policy formulation process. (Newswire)

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The number of students dropping out before completing 13 years of education is on the rise, according to the Education Ministry’s Progress Report for 2025.

The report attributes the increase in dropouts to multiple factors, including disparities in the distribution of human and physical resources, which have contributed to a breakdown of parental trust in the system.

Despite government initiatives aimed at reducing economic barriers—such as the provision of free textbooks, uniforms, school meals, and insurance—many families continue to face significant financial burdens, the report said.

Although Sri Lanka maintains a free education policy from the first year of schooling through to the first university degree, the ministry notes that parents still spend a considerable portion of their income on education-related expenses.

This has further strained household budgets and may be influencing school attendance and completion rates.

The report also points to an irregular school calendar, caused by past national disruptions, which has affected the timely administration of examinations and the overall learning process. Education authorities are working to stabilize academic schedules and fill staffing gaps through targeted recruitments, the report said.

In addition to structural and financial issues, the report highlights broader systemic concerns. These include criticism over the education system’s failure to produce “quality citizens” and a growing mismatch between academic outcomes and labor market needs in key economic sectors such as agriculture, industry, and services.

The ministry states that efforts are ongoing to normalize operations, restore public confidence, and align educational offerings with national development goals. (Newswire)

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Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa today questioned Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on her recent clarification that the government had not promised 6% allocation for the Education Sector at once.

Addressing the Parliament, MP Premadasa pointed out that PM Amarasuriya had been part of the large-scale protests conducted in 2012, calling for the 6% allocation. 

“Do you remember when the Prime Minister once wore a T-shirt saying 6% for education? You were part of the protest. Where is that 6% now?” the Opposition Leader questioned. 

MP Premadasa pointed out that a lesser amount has been allocated for education in the Budget 2026 compared to this year, questioning why the Prime Minister was not pushing for a higher allocation of funds.

Responding to the questions, PM Harini Amarasuriya said the government will always stand for a 06% allocation for education. 

She further explained that UNESCO’s Education 2030 Framework for Action recommends that countries allocate at least 4% to 6% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to education.

“We started the protest calling for a 6%allocation for education in 2011. The allocation for education from 2011 to 2024 was not done under our government. Those who are now agreeing to a 6% allocation could have intervened then, as they were in power. But they did not. Once we assumed power, we increased the allocation in our first budget, and have made a further increase in our second budget. We have proven that our government is working towards the 6% allocation target,” she said. 

PM Amarasuriya pointed out that those who failed to work towards the 6% allocation from 2011 to 2024 were now questioning the government why the allocation wasn’t made, at a time when the government was actually working towards the target.

“I don’t see logic in this questioning. However, we are firm on our stance. We have shown through our work our commitment to the education sector and systematic allocation of funds. Our election manifesto clearly states that a 6% allocation will be systematically made for education. That is what we are doing,” she added. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya today refuted allegations that the government had claimed it would provide 06% to the Education Sector in its first year.

Addressing the Parliament, PM Amarasuriya said that no such promise was made, as it was evident that new policies needed to be implemented to strengthen education institutions. 

“We never said we would give 06% in the first year. There are some fellow members here who have been with us since 2012, calling for education changes; Even then, we never said that 6% should be given at once,” she said. 

Prime Minister Amarasuriya pointed out that providing funds alone would not resolve issues and that policy change was required for this purpose. 

She further revealed that the highest funds for education have been allocated in 2026, which is Rs. 7.04 billion.  

“This year, 2.04% has been allocated, the highest since the past years,” she added. 

PM Amarasuriya’s remarks come in response to questions raised in Parliament regarding her participation in the 2012 protest as a lecturer asking for 06% funding for the education sector. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s tax policies played a driving role in the country’s devastating 2022 economic crisis and have contributed to the chronic underfunding of education and other public services, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. 

The Human Rights Organisation states the government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake should urgently adopt measures to uphold its human rights obligations and enact reforms to a system that presently favours companies and wealthy people while failing to deliver adequate revenues.

The 101-page report, “Tax Giveaways, Struggling Schools: How Low Taxes Drove Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis and Squandered its Education Lead,” describes how Sri Lanka’s successive governments have adopted policies that resulted in inadequate revenues, contributing not only to Sri Lanka defaulting on its debt but also to a decades-long decline in public education spending as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to among the lowest in the world. It also documents the impacts of inadequate funding on children’s right to education. Moreover, low corporate and personal tax revenues have led to an average of 80 percent of taxes coming from goods and services, which generally are regressive because they claim a higher share of poorer people’s income.

“For decades, Sri Lanka has been hostage to economic policies that starve its government of revenue and reflect a myopic focus on GDP growth,” said Sarah Saadoun, senior economic justice researcher at Human Rights Watch. “In practice, that means education spending has fallen well behind the pace of growth, turning the country from a global leader in public education to a laggard.”

Human Rights Watch interviewed over 70 people, including those affected by the economic situation and familiar with the public education system, as well as a wide spectrum of prominent Sri Lankan economic experts. Human Rights Watch also conducted a comprehensive analysis of relevant data and research relevant to Sri Lanka’s tax policies and education spending.

These policy failures have infringed upon children’s right to education, Human Rights Watch found. Sri Lanka’s education spending dropped from between 3 to 5 percent of GDP in the two decades following independence, a time when the country was an education champion among postcolonial countries, to 1.5 percent of GDP in 2022, among the lowest in the world.

Low tax revenues also contributed to Sri Lanka defaulting on its debt in April 2022, which precipitated an economic crisis, including widespread job and income loss, alongside a sharp rise in the cost of living that remains devastating for human rights.

While former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa introduced sweeping tax cuts in 2019 that dealt a devastating blow to revenues, Human Rights Watch found that the problem began in the late 1970s, when Sri Lanka began an economic shift common at that time that deprioritized social spending and liberalized trade. The resulting sharp decline in tax revenue from trade and other sources was not replaced by a progressive tax system that appropriately benefited from the ensuing growth.

In particular, the government began regularly granting companies broad tax exemptions through an opaque body highly vulnerable to abuse. In 2022, the cost of tax exemptions reached a staggering amount equivalent to 56 percent of revenues, or nearly three times the education budget. The government also collects only a small amount of taxes from personal income and assets and has not ensured that tax agencies have the capacity and accountability needed for tax enforcement.

The report’s focus on education illustrates a broader deprioritization of social spending, but the squandered potential is particularly salient in education, an area in which Sri Lanka was once widely regarded as a global leader. Sri Lanka was among the first countries to establish free primary and secondary education for most people.

Human Rights Watch found that low spending has led to schools charging fees to cover the cost of basic resources, posing significant hardship to many families. Inadequate public funds have also led to a vast disparity in resources based on students’ socioeconomic status. Low corporate and personal income tax revenues have led the government to heavily rely on taxes and goods and services—called “indirect taxes”—such as value-added tax (VAT) that weigh more heavily on poorer people.

Susikala, a domestic worker living on a tea plantation in Hatton, said she earns around 14,000 Sri Lankan rupees (LKR, about US$46) monthly working 7 days per week and struggles to pay various fees the school charges that amount to around LKR 500 (about $1.65) per month, along with the LKR 5,000 (about $16.50) per month for both of her children to attend for-profit “tuition” classes outside of school. “When teachers ask for books and papers I can’t get those things,” she said. “I struggle to give nutritious food to my children.”

In March 2023, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $3 billion bailout to Sri Lanka and creditors restructured the country’s debt, although its debt servicing obligations remain very high. In 2024, the government paid 57 percent of its revenue to creditors. In January 2025, President Dissanayake’s National People’s Power (NPP) party took office following a campaign that promised sweeping economic reforms, including reducing regressive taxes and improving education.

The government should consider eliminating corporate tax exemptions given their high cost, questionable effectiveness, and vulnerability to abuse, Human Rights Watch said. The government should also adopt other progressive tax measures, such as a wealth tax.

The case of Sri Lanka reflects the challenges many governments face under the current international tax system. For example, tax competition pressures governments into offering tax incentives that fuel a race to the bottom, depriving many governments of the necessary revenue to fulfill human rights. These challenges highlight the importance of ongoing negotiations for a United Nations tax treaty to build international rules informed by human rights imperatives and increased cooperation that would enable governments to end this negative spiral.

Under international human rights law, states are obligated to take steps to the “maximum of their available resources” to progressively realize the rights to health, education, social security, and an adequate standard of living, among other economic, social, and cultural rights. States are obliged not only to act individually, but also through international assistance and cooperation. This necessarily implicates states’ fiscal practices and tax policies domestically and in international fora.

Sri Lanka’s new government has taken some positive steps, such as providing an LKR 6,000 (about $20) bursary to some families to help with education-related costs, but it has only marginally raised the education budget. It should continue to increase the education budget, with a goal of reaching the internationally agreed benchmark of 4 to 6 percent of GDP allocated to education, Human Rights Watch said. The government of President Dissanayake should also urgently adopt measures to uphold its human rights obligations and enact reforms to a system that currently favours companies and wealthy people while failing to deliver adequate revenues.

“Sri Lanka’s economic quagmire makes clear that growth alone is not enough to fulfill human rights,” Saadoun said. “The government should finally establish a progressive tax system and use its income so that it adequately funds education and other public services that benefit all Sri Lankans.” (Newswire)

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The Ceylon Teachers’ Union held discussions with the Secretary to the Ministry of Education this week, seeking urgent solutions to a series of professional issues affecting teachers and principals across the school system.

The meeting, attended by senior ministry officials, focused on concerns arising from the current uncertainty surrounding the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill and its implications for school discipline, as well as the additional administrative burdens placed on teachers through various projects unrelated to teaching.

According to the union, the discussions centered on several key matters:

1.⁠ ⁠Formulating new guidelines to ensure the protection of teachers when disciplinary action is taken in the absence of the amended Penal Code.
2.⁠ ⁠Amending the relevant circulars to remove excessive non-academic responsibilities imposed on teachers that hinder the teaching–learning process.
3.⁠ ⁠Allowing teacher transfers within national and provincial schools to be handled through respective provincial transfer boards for greater transparency and convenience.
4.⁠ ⁠Streamlining the payment of salary increments by eliminating the use of complex evaluation forms introduced by provincial and zonal offices, and relying instead on principal recommendations.
5.⁠ ⁠Establishing a process to enable teachers who were unable to complete module assessments by June 30 to do so without penalty.
6.⁠ ⁠Addressing complaints related to school fundraising practices and revising the relevant circulars.
7.⁠ ⁠Providing timely solutions to issues faced by teachers and principals under the ongoing education reform process.

The Education Secretary instructed ministry officials to take the necessary steps to resolve these matters promptly. (Newswire)

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Education Minister, PM Harini Amarasuriya, has highlighted the importance of creating a new generation that is capable of seeking solutions to global challenges, emphasizing the need for a new education system that goes beyond the traditional framework. 

PM Amarasuriya stated that the value of an innovator is not determined by educational qualifications, academic degrees, or the number of patents they hold, but rather by the contribution they make toward building a better society.

She further noted that it is the responsibility of the government to create an enabling environment and to promote socially responsible, compassionate, and humanitarian innovators who have a sense of empathy and accountability toward society.

“What we need is not merely a generation that knows about data. We need a generation with the creative intelligence to question the accuracy and reliability of that data, to see things differently, and to use information to change the world. We need people with curiosity about the world, people who can think outside of the box, looking at things in a new way, and pursuing knowledge, information, and data with purpose,” the Prime Minister said.

She made the remarks while addressing the national program to introduce 100 new Young Inventor Clubs into the school system, which was organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology at the University of Colombo yesterday (08).

The event was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Chishantha Abeysena.

At this event, the official commencement of establishing the School Young Inventor Clubs was symbolically marked by presenting Innovation Tokens to nine schools representing all provinces of the country by the Prime Minister.

Key topics discussed during the event included the potential contribution of innovation promotion to the national economy, opportunities and challenges in school-based innovation, the role of teachers in establishing School Young Inventor Clubs, the importance of obtaining patents for inventions, the significance of educational reforms, and the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in contributing to a creative workforce for the nation.

Addressing the event, Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena remarked that innovation should be advanced as a priority, with key responsibilities resting on both the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Education. 

He further noted that the country’s most valuable resource is its younger generation, who envision a future for the nation by engaging in innovative work. 

Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena assured that the government is committed to providing its support for children in their pursuit of innovation. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka is shifting away from an education system solely focused on pass or fail examination outcomes, Prime Minister and Education Minister Harini Amarasuriya said today.

The government’s objective instead will be to deliver quality education to children through the introduction of a module-based system, she said.

Prime Minister Amarasuriya made these remarks while addressing a media briefing held at the Ministry of Education at Isurupaya today (23), on the new education reforms set to be introduced in 2026.

“We, as teachers, parents, and students, have grown accustomed to an education system designed primarily around examinations. However, with this module-based system, students will engage in diverse learning activities and undergo continuous assessments,” the Premier said.

The General Certificate of Education (G.C.E.) Ordinary Level examination under the new curriculum is scheduled to commence in 2029, while the module system will be introduced for Grades 1 and 6 starting in 2026.

“We have three years to observe this system,” the Prime Minister explained. “Based on the evolving circumstances and needs, we are prepared to make the necessary adjustments. We have never claimed that these reforms are final. We expect to revise them in line with future developments. Furthermore, we welcome suggestions and feedback from all stakeholders,” she said.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to reduce classroom sizes to 25–30 students, noting that previous political admissions had pushed some classes beyond 40.

She confirmed that such practices have been halted and only officially approved student numbers will be allowed going forward.

On the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, Prime Minister Amarasuriya clarified that no decision has been made to abolish it, adding that significant disparities among schools must be addressed first.

The reforms also propose placing early childhood development centers under the direct management of the Education Ministry, including the training of early childhood educators.

Deputy Minister Madhura Seneviratne also addressing the event said teacher training is a core focus of the reforms, with a new program set to launch in August. Additional briefings will be held with university academics, teacher unions, and education officials, the official said. (Newswire)

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Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa addressed concerns about the history subject under the new education reforms, stating that misleading claims are being circulated.

The Minister said that false information has been spread by the opposition suggesting that history and aesthetics have been removed from the curriculum.

The Minister criticized attempts to politicize education and use children’s futures for political gain.

Responding to questions from journalists regarding the education reforms, Jayatissa clarified that the reforms will first be introduced to Grades 1 and 6, with a period now open for feedback and proposals from stakeholders.

“Over the next few days, the Education Minsitry will be holding discussions with stakeholders to present their proposals and feedback on this matter,” he said.

The minister also noted a gap in technology education within the current national curriculum, which the reforms aim to address. (Newswire)

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The Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) has accused the government of attempting to create chaos within the student movement by using their party representatives as university student leaders to push through their privatization plans in the education sector.

Issuing a statement, the IUSF said that this is being done using the respected name, official logos and letterheads of the Inter-University Students’ Federation.

The IUSF’s statement comes in the backdrop of a new group claiming to be the IUSF, having announced the appointment of a new convenor at a media briefing held on Sunday (20).

The new student group had also created social media accounts, including a Facebook page, claiming they are the IUSF.

Denying these claims, the IUSF has issued a clarification statement on its official Facebook page, accusing the government of attempting to create issues in the student movement. 

“Without being deceived by these false narratives and ideas, we call upon the entire university community and the general public to come forward to defeat the current Government’s oppressive agenda,” the IUSF said in its statement. 

Emphasizing its continued fight against the privatization of education, the IUSF urged the public not to be misled by the false propaganda of the Government, which it says has confused students and citizens. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Higher Education and Vocational Education and the National University of Singapore for higher education cooperation. 

According to the government, it has been proposed to enter into an agreement with the National University of Singapore, which holds a leading position in the global university ranking.

Through signing this agreement, Sri Lankan students will have the opportunity to receive scholarships, pursue postgraduate degrees, including PhDs, at the National University of Singapore, participate in capacity development programs, and conduct joint research. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Prime Minister, in her capacity as the Minister of Higher Education and Vocational Education, to sign the agreement between the two parties. (Newswire)

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The government has decided to provide financial assistance as an encouragement to ensure the uninterrupted education of children from families affected by daily incidents of elephant intrusions into their villages.

The decision was taken by the Board of Governors of the President’s Fund, which convened under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayake, with the support being extended to families affected by elephant intrusions on or after January 1, 2025. 

Under this initiative, selected students from Grade 1 to Grade 11 will receive a monthly allowance of Rs. 3,000 for a maximum period of 12 months, while selected students in Grades 12 and 13 will receive Rs. 5,000 per month for the same duration. The financial assistance is expected to be disbursed starting from today, April 1, 2025.

Priority will be given to families who have lost a member or have individuals injured due to elephant intrusions. Additionally, children from families that have suffered property or crop damage as a result of such incidents will also be eligible to apply for this assistance.

Eligibility for this financial assistance will be determined based on the observations of the respective Divisional Secretaries. Families must have children pursuing education from Grade 1 up to the G.C.E. Ordinary Level or Advanced Level to qualify.

However, children who are already beneficiaries of the G.C.E. Advanced Level scholarship programme currently implemented under the President’s Fund will not be eligible for this assistance.

Accordingly, all Divisional Secretaries have been informed to collect details of eligible children within their divisions, conduct personal assessments and submit the relevant applications, along with their recommendations, to the Secretary of the President’s Fund without delay. (Newswire)

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Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) calling for a probe into the entering of erroneous data related to his education qualification in the Parliament database. 

Last week, the Parliament of Sri Lanka acknowledged that details regarding the educational qualifications of Minister of Justice, Attorney-at-Law, Harshana Nanayakkara on the Parliament website were wrong, citing erroneous data. 

Director of Legislative Services Jayalath Perera said that the title of ‘’Dr.’’ was mentioned before the name of Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, in the directory of Members of Parliament on the Parliament website, due to an error in entering the relevant data. 

Claiming that this did not seem an isolated incident, taking into account recent controversies around the education qualifications of government MPs, Minister Nanayakkara told the media today that it was essential to find out how such erroneous data was entered.

He further said that steps are also underway to file a civil case over the damage caused to his reputation by the various media reports published related to the matter.

The Justice Minister further highlighted that, however, the government was pleased that the public had commenced asking the right questions related to the Parliament.

“Earlier they questioned if an MP was selling ethanol or drugs, or how a convicted person was appointed an MP. Or discussions were on bar permits. Now the public is questioning the education qualification of MPs. This is the change brought by the NPP. This change alone is a victory for the government,” he said. (Newswire)

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Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya says education is not a commodity and that it has been changed into a transaction, stressing that the culture that considers education as a transaction must be changed.

The Prime Minister further said that policies should be formulated and decisions should be made based on data that is in the best interest of school children.

PM Amarasuriya added that officials should deal with the public humanely as a group providing public services.

PM Harini Amarasuriya, the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, made these remarks while participating in a workshop held under the theme “Preparing relevant strategies to transform the existing education system” at the Colombo Foundation Institute yesterday.

Based on the points, included in the new government’s policy statement, many important issues needed to bring about a new transformation in the educational stages from early childhood development to higher education and vocational education were discussed here.

“We must understand that education is a transformative thing. Beyond acquiring knowledge, there must be an individual transformation, as well as, a social transformation as a collective. We must have an education system that can build that transformation. We must be able to see that children have opportunities to open up to the world. We must feel a sense of social responsibility. We must not only develop personally but also as a society. We must feel that we must have social responsibility for that. Knowledge and skills must also be acquired through it.

“Education is not a commodity. We have turned education into a transaction. The culture that considers education as a transaction must be changed. We do not invest in education expecting results in a week or two. This is a long-term investment, the government is making that investment. The Ministry of Education and the institutions under it should become the place where policy decisions regarding education are made. Those policies and decisions should be made based on data. Decisions cannot be made based on personal opinions or feelings. We need a system to collect data and maintain data.

“Officers should have empathy. We see that people who come expecting a service are crying. There are allegations that officers do not listen, do not speak properly, do not answer when a question is raised, and have been idle for years,” she said.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya further said that steps should be taken to stop this system.

Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madura Seneviratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa and a group of education professionals participated in this event. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka expects to provide billionaire businessman Elon Musk with the necessary licences to address educational challenges in the country, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

The President said Elon Musk’s assistance has been sought to address Sri Lanka’s educational challenges and support for schools in need.

“By the end of this month, the government aims to provide him with the necessary licences to support these efforts in Sri Lanka,” he said. 

“For the past four years, we have had to limit spending on education. Now, we must invest in education and update the school system with new technology. We saw drones created by college students and developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) within schools. Funding is required for these initiatives, and we also need to recruit more teachers,” he pointed out. 

The President revealed that he has reached out to billionaire businessman Elon Musk for assistance with these educational challenges.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe also announced that Sri Lanka will implement a strategic plan over the next decade to create job opportunities for its youth domestically, rather than having them seek employment abroad.

He stated that failing to execute this plan would undermine the government’s significant investment in education and stressed the necessity for Sri Lanka to progress beyond its current status as an underdeveloped nation.

The President highlighted his efforts to reform the education system to better align with new technologies and further assured that necessary funding will be allocated for this purpose.

He made the remarks while addressing the 106th College Day celebrations of Bandaranayake College in Gampaha today. (Newswire)

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The proposal to enter into an agreement on educational cooperation between Sri Lanka and Vietnam for the period 2024 – 2026 has received a Cabinet nod.

The government states that the need to further develop cooperation in the field of higher education between Sri Lanka and Vietnam has been identified due to which the two parties have agreed to implement the agreement reached during the period of 2017-2020 with amendments for the period of 2024-2026. 

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Education to enter into an agreement between Sri Lanka and Vietnam to be valid from 2024 to 2026.

The objective of the agreement is to exchange information and experience related to development and innovation in the field of higher education, promote bilateral cooperation programs between research institutions, exchange scholarships for undergraduate or postgraduate studies in fields agreed upon by both parties and exchange students/scholars between universities/research centres of the two countries. Etc. (Newswire)

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The government has announced two major initiatives promising a significant boost to Sri Lanka’s educational landscape, in line with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s vision to create the most advanced, future-focused educational system in South Asia.

The President has highlighted that education remains the nation’s greatest asset and that the government has prioritized funding for education and integrating new technology despite economic challenges.

As part of the vision, the government has announced the introduction of the Cambridge Climate Quest, a self-paced study course, and the establishment of an off-shore campus of Flinders University, Australia.

According to the President’s Media Division,  details on the two education initiatives are as follows;

• Cambridge Climate Quest:

The Cambridge Climate Quest is a self-paced study course designed for students in Grades 8-12 and will soon be available to all Sri Lankan students free of charge. This comprehensive program, offered in all three national languages, promises to equip young learners with essential knowledge of climate and sustainability. Upon successful completion, participants will receive Cambridge Certification. The course content has been meticulously created and curated by scholars from Cambridge Zero, the research wing of the University of Cambridge, which leads global efforts in climate and sustainability studies.

Christine Ozden, Global Director of Cambridge University Press and Assessments, recently met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha, pledging support for this initiative as part of the new educational reforms.

• Flinders University- Australia:

Flinders University, Australia, is set to establish an offshore campus in Sri Lanka. Professor Colin Stirling, Vice Chancellor of Flinders University, met with His Excellency the President for the final round of discussions. 

This new campus aims to meet the regional demand for higher education, offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and pathway programs in various fields, including Engineering, Information Technology, Business Studies/Management, Finance, Marketing, and Medicine. Flinders University’s presence in Sri Lanka is expected to significantly enhance the country’s educational offerings and provide local students with greater access to world-class education. (Newswire)

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Minister of Education Susil Premjayantha has announced that 2,500 new teacher appointments for national schools are scheduled for July 3, the President’s Media Division said. 

Arrangements have been made to recruit 2,100 teachers for subjects including Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Technology, and Foreign Languages.

Additionally, 500 teachers will be appointed based on the results of the 2021 English Medium Advanced Diploma Examination, the Minister said.

Premjayantha emphasized that these appointments will significantly reduce the issue of teacher shortages in national schools.

To further address the shortage of English medium teachers, retired English medium teachers are invited to apply for contract-based positions, the Minister said. (Newswire)

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Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that prompt measures will be taken to provide textbooks to students in flood-hit areas within the next two weeks.

Addressing Parliament, the Minister responded to concerns raised by MP S.M. Marikkar regarding the plight of school students in Kolonnawa and Kelanimulla areas who have lost their textbooks due to recent flooding.

“Within the next two weeks, I will be formulating a programme with the Ministry to assist the students who have lost their school textbooks to floods,” Minister Premajayantha stated. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal tabled by the Minister of Education to implement the digital transformation of general education in Sri Lanka with support from the Chinese government. 

The Chinese government has agreed to provide for the project, following a feasibility study, the government said in a statement. 

The proposed project is expected to mitigate several issues such as the shortage of teachers and resources. Under the project, the Chinese government will assist in providing classrooms, data centres, tables, a studio and a conference room.

These resources will support the education reforms as well as the effective and efficient performance of the blended learning method, sharing resources, and imparting the knowledge of teachers with special skills to the students. (Newswire)

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