Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa has filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding an incident where the name of an inappropriate website was mentioned in a Grade 6 English language module.

Speaking to the media today (31 Dec), Kaluwewa said the Ministry of Education has reasonable suspicion that external influence may have been involved in including the name of the inappropriate website.

Stating that there has been opposition to the government’s education reforms and that the incident could be a sabotage attempt, he said a complaint has been lodged with the CID to conduct an inquiry. 

Earlier, the Ministry of Education said that the Grade 6 English language module prepared by the National Institute of Education has already been printed.

Therefore, the distribution of the module has been suspended, and an immediate investigation into the matter has been launched, the Ministry said, in a statement.

The matter came to light after social activist Tilini Shalvin highlighted that a typing error appearing in three places in the newly introduced Grade 6 syllabus had redirected users to an unintended website, instead of the educational application referenced in the lesson.

Subsequent checks by authorities confirmed that the incorrect reference directed users to a website catering to a gay audience, prompting concerns over the suitability of the content for school material.

Responding to the issue, the Ministry of Education said an inquiry was initiated after receiving a complaint regarding an inappropriate web reference in a Grade 6 English module prepared by the National Institute of Education.

The Ministry confirmed that an initial review had verified the complaint, following which distribution of the printed module was immediately suspended. An investigation had also been launched with immediate effect to identify those responsible.

The Ministry added that corrective steps will be taken following the outcome of the inquiry, and measures will be introduced to prevent similar lapses in future syllabus reforms. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Education says it will take legal action regarding a fake document circulating on social media claiming to be the draft for the proposed national education reforms.

Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa stated that the alleged draft document, which is being shared as a 2026 education reform proposal, has not been issued or approved by the Ministry or any of its affiliated institutions.

He further said that steps are being taken to identify those responsible for preparing and spreading the fake document and that legal action will be initiated soon. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Education has clarified that the printing of textbooks for schools has not been halted, but changes have been made to certain grades under the government’s proposed education reforms. 

Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa states that textbooks for grades 2–5 and 7–11 will be provided as they do not fall under the education reforms, which come into effect in January next year. 

He further said that, however, textbooks will not be provided for Grades 01 and 06 per the education reforms, and that instead, they will be provided with simplified module materials.

Nalaka Kaluwewa also clarified that the printing of teacher manuals has not been halted and will be printed per the requirements of the new education reforms.

The Education Ministry Secretary revealed that printing of textbooks for Grades 02-05, Grades 07- 11, and the module materials for Grades 01 and 06 have commenced, and are expected to be completed by November 15. 

He added that distribution to schools across the country is scheduled to be completed before December 31. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Education says the number of school periods will be reduced from 8 to 7 starting from 01st January next year. 

Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa, said each school period will also be revised to 50 minutes, and all classroom timetables will be reorganized accordingly.

Nalaka Kaluwewa further stated that the Ministry of Education, together with the National Institute of Education and Provincial Councils, plans to train 100,000 teachers for grades 1 and 6 during this year.

The education reform process will begin in all schools across the country starting January 1st, 2026, with a focus on grades 1 and 6.

Nalaka Kaluwewa revealed this during the first session of a series of discussions to inform educational and administrative officials at provincial, zonal, and divisional levels about the new education reforms, which was held at the North Central Provincial Council last week. (Newswire)

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