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)

The post Reforms : Sri Lanka to introduce module-based education system appeared first on Newswire.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), together with its affiliates the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) and the Free Media Movement (FMM), has urged the new government to heed civil society calls to bring the country forward on critical reforms.

Issuing a statement, IFJ said the new Sri Lankan government led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been criticised for failing to address concerns from civil society about his government’s willingness to foster more inclusive and accountable governance through citizen participation. 

To date, Sri Lanka’s new government has remained unresponsive to repeated outreach from civil society groups calling for a renewed commitment by the new administration to the Open Government Partnership (OGP) to promote greater transparency, to empower citizens, fight corruption and strengthen governance.

The OGP is a multilateral global initiative founded in 2011 in the UN General Assembly with initial members comprising Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has since expanded to include 75 member countries and thousands of civil society organisations and is aimed at seeking commitments from governments. Under the mandate of the OGP, members are required to create a two-year National Action Plan through a multi-stakeholder process to implement governance reforms in collaboration with civil society.

Hopes were renewed that Sri Lanka would abide by its commitments to the OGP after the country experienced a political shift in 2024 following the election sweep by the National People’s Power party in the historic political transition in 2024, that forced out the United National Party long dominated by the Rajapaksa political dynasty over 76 years.

On May 7, Transparency International Sri Lanka and the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, as co-conveners of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) involved in Sri Lanka’s OGP process, urged the Sri Lankan government to recommit to the Open Government Partnership amid the risk of its expulsion. In a statement, the groups said the continued silence underscored a broader pattern of weak consultative governance and emphasised that restoring trust in public institutions required a firm commitment to open, inclusive, and participatory governance that reflects the voices and needs of the people.

In 2024, Sri Lankan CSOs withdrew from the Sri Lankan National Action Plan in protest against the oppressive and undemocratic laws introduced by the previous government led by Ranil Wickremesinghe. Since the NPP’s election, CSO have now formally expressed a willingness to re-engage with the country’s newly elected cabinet following an NPP pledge to repeal legislation that curtailed participatory governance and civil liberties.

The current frustration from Sri Lankan civil society groups, while targeted at the new administration, is also underpinned by a long pattern of neglect by previous governments. From 2021 to 2023, successive governments failed to submit a National Action Plan under the OGP, prompting the global OGP Steering Committee to designate Sri Lanka as ‘inactive’ in a resolution passed on 10 May 2024. To restore its active status, Sri Lanka was due to submit a new Action Plan by 10 May 2025, but the current administration has yet to comply.

The FMM said: “The government’s inaction – while retaining draconian legislation – exposes its indifference to constitutional freedoms. FMM demands immediate recommitment to OGP with civil society to repeal anti-media laws; embed press freedom in the National Action Plan and guarantee transparent policymaking. Media freedom cannot survive without institutional checks. The OGP is our last firewall against authoritarian regression.”

The SLWJA said: “We believe it’s crucial to re-engage the current Sri Lankan government in a participatory governance model that includes civil society organisations. In the past, the Sri Lankan government has had positive experiences working with such civil organisations to implement ‘Good Governance.’ Reviving this approach could lead to more effective and accountable governance.”

The IFJ said: “Press freedom can only thrive within a functioning democracy, and the continued neglect of participatory governance and civil society engagement raises serious questions about the administration’s commitment to legislative reform. It is urgent that press freedom is front and centre of such a discussion.” (Newswire)

The post SL Govt silent as civil society demands action on reform – IFJ appeared first on Newswire.

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) says proper reforms are to be introduced in the energy sector in line with the social transformational mandate received by the new President of Sri Lanka.

Issuing a statement, the CEB said several initiatives are to be done via an amendment to the Electricity Act through extensive public and stakeholder consultation without the privatization of state-owned electricity sector assets.

The CEB further said that it is working to achieve the lowest electricity cost in the region in the next five years under a strong single-buyer market with an Independent System Operator (ISO) and unbundled generation, transmission and distribution licensees established.

A proposal was also made to form a committee representing employees at all levels to obtain the active contribution of everyone for future initiatives taken by the Ministry of Energy, it added.

The announcement comes as an online awareness program on the electricity sector reforms was conducted by the Chairman and the Board of Directors of the CEB on 23rd October 2024 for the entire CEB staff.

“Change is a common reality; timely changes are essential for any organization. Proper organizational reforms with periodic evaluations are imperative for any organization to increase the quality of service, maintain high standards in customer satisfaction, make reasonable profits to the organization, ensure high returns to the social economy, and improve the living standards of the employees,” the CEB added. (Newswire)

The post CEB says Privatization plans have been stopped appeared first on Newswire.

The Education Ministry anticipates significant advancements in the education sector through its current reform initiatives, State Minister of Education Arvind Kumar said.

The State Minister urged all teachers to grasp the importance of their role and act conscientiously, highlighting their crucial responsibility in shaping the future generation of the country.

He added that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has allocated necessary financial resources to the Ministry of Education for these reforms in the education sector, underscoring his commitment to these initiatives.

Addressing a press briefing at the Presidential Media Centre on Friday (July 12), the State Minister provided details of the education reforms initiated by the Education Ministry.

• Schools:

Efforts are underway to enhance school facilities for children with special needs, including the appointment of trained teachers dedicated to their support.

Plans are also in place to expand the number of Zonal Education Offices to 120. 

Additionally, pending teacher appointments, as well as appointments for third-grade principal positions and education administrative service officers, are being processed.

• Employment opportunities:

Over 500 language teachers proficient in Korean, German, French, Hindi, Chinese, and Japanese have been recruited.

They have been deployed to schools, particularly targeting employment opportunities.

• Universities: 

Plans are underway to elevate 19 National Colleges of Education across the country into universities.

This initiative aims to produce teachers graduating from these institutions within four years. 

This expansion is projected to increase college enrolment from 5,000 to 7,500 students, resulting in an annual output of 7,500 qualified teachers. (Newswire)

The post Education reforms : Three updates from Ministry appeared first on Newswire.