Qatar Charity has inaugurated a newly constructed three‑storey Science Laboratory Building at Kalutara Muslim Central College, marking a major investment in education and scientific learning in Sri Lanka.

Valued at approximately Rs. 83 million, the project aims to enhance science education and provide modern learning opportunities to more than 1,500 students studying in Sinhala, Tamil, and English mediums. 

The facility was officially opened by Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof and Mr. Khalil Al Mahmoud, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Sri Lanka. Distinguished guests included Mahmoud Abu Khalifa, Country Director of Qatar Charity Sri Lanka, MP Nandana Pathmakumara, former Minister Ali Sabry, school principal Nafras Nilar, teachers, students, and community leaders.

The new science complex houses four fully equipped laboratories dedicated to Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and General Science, furnished with modern equipment, resources, and safety facilities. It also includes four classrooms with advanced digital display systems to support interactive teaching, alongside a landscaped front garden that enhances the campus environment.

Speaking at the inauguration, Country Director Mahmoud Abu Khalifa reaffirmed Qatar Charity’s commitment to education as a cornerstone of sustainable development. He emphasized that investing in educational infrastructure delivers lasting social and economic benefits by equipping future generations with knowledge and skills. He noted that the project is part of a broader initiative by Qatar Charity, which has previously supported educational facilities in Trincomalee and Ampara, and expressed confidence that the new laboratories will inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, medicine, and research.

The facility is expected to significantly improve learning opportunities by enabling practical experiments and hands‑on scientific investigations. These experiences will deepen students’ understanding of scientific concepts, improve academic performance, and foster critical thinking, creativity, and innovation. Digital classroom technology will further enrich teaching through multimedia and interactive methods, while the modern environment is expected to boost student interest and confidence in science subjects.

Chargé d’Affaires Khalil Al Mahmoud described education as the foundation of national progress and praised Qatar Charity’s contributions as an investment in future generations. He encouraged students to make full use of the new facilities and reaffirmed the strong partnership between Qatar and Sri Lanka in education and human development.

Governor Hanif Yusoof expressed gratitude to Qatar Charity and the people of Qatar for their continued support, stressing that investments in education are investments in the nation’s future. MP Nandana Pathmakumara highlighted the importance of unity and collective development, noting that initiatives of this nature strengthen both educational institutions and international friendship.

The new science laboratory building at Kalutara Muslim Central College stands as a milestone in educational infrastructure, combining modern laboratories, digital learning technologies, and a focus on quality education. It is expected to benefit thousands of students for years to come, underscoring the positive impact of international cooperation and Qatar Charity’s mission to empower communities through education and sustainable development. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Education has announced the completion dates for the first phase of the third school term and the commencement of the second phase for government and government‑approved private schools in 2026.

According to the Education Ministry:

• The first phase of the third term will end on Friday, August 7 for Sinhala and Tamil schools.
• The first phase of the third term will conclude for Muslim schools on Wednesday, September 2.
• The second phase of the third term will begin for all schools on Monday, September 7.
• The second phase of the third term will end for all schools on Friday, December 4.

The Education Ministry further announced that the 2026 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination will be held from August 10 to September 5. (Newswire)

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All government schools in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts will reopen tomorrow (05), the Central Province Director of Education announced today.

The schools were closed yesterday (04) due to adverse weather conditions and continuous heavy rainfall, which had raised safety concerns for students and teachers.

The closure was ordered under the instructions of the Secretary to the Central Provincial Ministry of Education, with the primary aim of ensuring the safety of schoolchildren and staff.

With weather conditions easing, authorities confirmed that schools in both districts will resume normal operations from Wednesday. (Newswire)

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The decision on whether schools in the Hatton and Nuwara Eliya education zones of the Central Province will remain open amid adverse weather has been entrusted to the principals of the respective schools.

According to the Provincial Director of Education, principals have been authorized to determine whether classes should be conducted under the prevailing heavy rainfall and unsafe conditions.

The Chief Secretary of the Central Province has also instructed that schools in the affected zones be closed as necessary, citing the severe rainfall and deteriorating weather. (Newswire)

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The Old Boys’ Association of Sir John Kothalawala College says that although the child admitted to lighting matches which caused a teacher’s car to catch fire, being only about eight years old, neither the school administration nor Sri Lanka Police has filed charges or treated him as an offender, and will not do so. 

Issuing a statement, the Association emphasized that no charges or pressure will be placed on the child, firmly rejecting social media claims that school authorities exerted undue influence. 

The incident occurred on July 3 at 2.55 pm when the teacher’s car caught fire inside the school premises. CCTV footage later revealed a small child loitering near the vehicle and discarding a matchbox. 

The teacher lodged a complaint with Kurunegala Headquarters Police for insurance purposes, submitting CCTV footage and photos, but did not mention the child’s name.

The teacher has not pressured the child or parents in any way. He did not mention the child’s name in complaints. However, the mother has included the child’s name in complaints against the teacher, which is regrettable, the statement said. 

On July 4, the child, along with his parents, was questioned before the Principal and Deputy Principal, where he admitted to lighting several matches and throwing one into the car’s bumper. 

The parents confirmed the act, and the father pledged compensation for the damage. Police officers from the Science of Crime Office (SOCO) conducted an inspection and permitted the car to be taken for repairs.

The Old Boys’ Association emphasized that the child continues to attend school regularly and that his safety and rights are being safeguarded. They condemned distorted social media posts that circulated CCTV footage and reports in ways that defamed the school.

The child’s younger brother in Grade 2 has not been scolded or punished by the teacher regarding earlier scratches on the car. Parents confirmed this. The teacher regrets that repairs cannot be done yet due to lack of insurance compensation or spare parts, the Association said. 

The affected teacher, described as highly dedicated to Grade 5 students, continues his duties without interruption, conducting voluntary extra classes and online lessons despite the incident. 

The Association also criticized the parents for leaving the child unsupervised for over three hours after school ended, stressing that responsibility for children’s safety lies with parents, not the school staff.

On July 03, after school ended at 1 pm, children left. But the child remained until 4 pm, over three hours. Allowing such a small child under 8 years to remain unnecessarily at school is a serious fault of the parents. Parents must take children home immediately after school, the Old Boys’ Association said, expressing strong disapproval. 

The Association reiterated that the case highlights broader concerns about child safety and serves as a warning to society about the unnecessary use of mobile phones by small children. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Education has announced that annual and compulsory teacher transfer applications for national schools for the year 2026 are now open online via http://nstt.moe.gov.lk.

Teachers have the opportunity to submit applications through the online system between 16-30 July, 2026.

A printed copy of the completed application must then be handed over to the principal of the school where the teacher receives his or her salary, on or before July 31, 2026.

The Ministry has emphasized that applications submitted personally or sent by post will not be accepted by the Ministry of Education. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to provide a pair of shoes to selected school students, Pirivena lay and ordained students, and Sīlamātās under a nationwide programme for 2027.

The initiative builds on the 2026 program, which was implemented under two phases and covered 836,571 students. For 2027, the program is scheduled to be completed by the end of the third school term of 2026.

According to the proposal presented by the Prime Minister, in her capacity as the  Minister of Education, shoes for students in the Western, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern, and North Western provinces will be purchased directly from local manufacturers and delivered to schools. 

In the Central, Northern, North Central, and Uva provinces, shoes will be procured from the market.

Each eligible student will receive a voucher worth Rs. 3,000 to facilitate the distribution. (Newswire)

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The Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) has warned that university lecturers may reconsider their continued services to the education sector if the government fails to suspend and amend the newly issued Grade One admission circular.

Addressing the media, FUTA Media Spokesman Charudaththe Illangasinghe said the circular introduces conditions requiring professors involved in the formulation of state examination papers and evaluation of answer scripts to disclose this information to schools. 

He stressed that such identities are kept strictly confidential, even among lecturers themselves, and warned that forcing disclosure would compromise the secrecy and integrity of national examinations.

Illangasinghe noted that the move effectively restricts the admission of children of university lecturers, creating serious concerns within the academic community. 

FUTA has written to the President urging immediate suspension of the circular and correction of the criteria before re‑issuing it.

“If this is not done, we are holding discussions on whether university lecturers should continue their services to the education sector. We will be able to inform our decision within a week if the President does not intervene,” Illangasinghe said. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Education has announced that the official circular governing admissions of children to Grade One in government schools for the year 2027 will be published in government newspapers on Monday, June 29, 2026. 

The guidelines are contained in Circular No. 25/2026, which is now available on the official Ministry website at www.moe.gov.lk, where detailed instructions and procedures for Grade One admissions have been provided.

Sinhala Download: https://newswire.lk/pdf/25-2026-Si.pdf 

Tamil Download: https://newswire.lk/pdf/25-2026-Ta.pdf (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to issue a new circular governing the admission of children to Grade One in government schools, effective from 2027.

Each year, circular instructions are released to regulate admissions, with the aim of ensuring equal access to education, transparency, and minimizing irregularities. 

The new framework has been prepared by incorporating the views of the Bribery Commission, the Human Rights Commission, principals, and education authorities, while also aligning with ongoing education reforms.

According to the government, the updated guidelines are designed to strengthen fairness in school admissions and reduce malpractice, while safeguarding children’s right to education.

The proposal was presented by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya in her capacity as Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, and subsequently approved by the Cabinet. (Newswire)

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Two people opened fire in a high school in the central Philippines on Monday (Jun 22), killing three teenage students and wounding another seven, police officials said.

Two suspects have been taken into custody, police said, one of whom is a student at San Jose National High School, in the city of Tacloban in Leyte province, where the shooting happened, according to police. Both are male and were armed with pistols.

The two alleged shooters, aged 15 and 14, had fired “randomly” inside the school, police Lieutenant Evalyn Diaz told AFP of the incident, which took place at around 9am. 

One of the two guns used belonged to a police officer, an official said. 

“The 9mm Glock (pistol) belongs or was issued to a policewoman assigned in (the Eastern Visayas region),” said national police spokesman Allen Rae Co, who added the officer had been taken into custody and was now under investigation.

The other weapon, a .38 calibre pistol, was registered to a security agency in Cebu City, he said.

A video widely circulated by local media, verified by AFP, showed panicked children screaming and crying while hiding inside a classroom amid the sound of gunfire.

“We are hearing bullying was the motive behind their actions, but we have yet to ask them,” Diaz said of the ongoing questioning of the boys arrested in the shooting’s aftermath.

“We also have yet to establish the sequence of events,” she said then. “They are still in the police station undergoing questioning in the presence of their parents because they are minors.”

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has ordered a thorough investigation into the shooting.

“The president is saddened by the incident,” his office said in a statement, adding that Marcos directed authorities to ensure safety and security in all areas, offices and establishments, especially schools. 

Tacloban police chief Noelito Getigan told reporters one suspect, a minor and Grade 9 student, was arrested shortly after the incident, while the other later surrendered to authorities.

There was no immediate update on the status of the wounded students.

“The victims were immediately transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment and appropriate medical intervention,” regional police said earlier.

The Philippine Department of Education issued a statement calling it a “high-alert situation”.

“Our Central Office officials, alongside regional and division office personnel, are active on the ground, coordinating closely with school authorities and law enforcement to secure the premises,” it said.

The government-run school has more than 1,500 students. 

“We urge the public to remain calm, refrain from disseminating unverified information and cooperate with authorities by providing any information that may aid the ongoing investigation,” the national police said in a statement.

Crimes involving the use of firearms are prevalent in the Philippines, partly due to the proliferation of unlicensed firearms, but school shootings are relatively rare.

In July 2022, a gunman opened fire at an Ateneo de Manila University law school graduation ceremony in Quezon City, killing three people, including former Lamitan City mayor Rose Furigay. (CNA)

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Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake today (11) told Parliament that the Treasury could provide financial assistance for a student of Bandarawela Dharmasoka Vidyalaya who suffered severe facial burns in a laboratory accident, if details of the child were submitted. 

Addressing the Parliament, he said he had spoken to the Treasury Secretary and that the government was prepared to intervene to support treatment.

The assurance came in response to Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, who raised the issue under Standing Orders. 

Addressing the Parliament, Dassanayake alleged the accident occurred due to a teacher’s mistake and criticized authorities for failing to launch an inquiry. 

He highlighted that the injured child, from a family of four without a father, is unable to attend school and requires plastic surgery.

He said, yet no investigation or assistance had been provided by the Governor, Education Zone Director, or Ministry of Education.

Thanking Rathnayake for the pledge of support, Dassanayake pressed for a proper probe, claiming reports suggested the teacher had thrown a substance on the child. 

He urged authorities to establish how the accident occurred and hold those responsible accountable. (Newswire)

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Police in Eppawala have arrested a Grade 12 student after he attacked five classmates with a sharp weapon inside a leading school in the town today (13).

According to the Police Media Division, the injured students, all Advanced Level technology stream pupils, were admitted to the Eppawala District Hospital with minor injuries. 

The Police stated that the assailant is a Grade 12 science stream student at the same school.

Investigations revealed that a previous dispute between the attacker and one of the injured students escalated into retaliation this morning, leading to the knife assault.

Reports indicate that after striking one student, four others who tried to intervene were also injured. 

The suspect was taken into custody along with the weapon. The Eppawala Police are conducting further investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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Schools in the Deniyaya Education Zone that were temporarily closed due to the spread of a fever illness will reopen tomorrow (13).

Southern Province Education Secretary Nishantha Pathirana said the decision was taken at a discussion held yesterday (11) under the leadership of the Governor of Southern Province.

Four schools in the zone were closed last Thursday after 56 students were reported to be affected by fever conditions.

Pathirana noted that a health‑protected environment has now been established in the affected schools. 

He added that instructions have been issued to pay greater attention to the use of water to ensure safety. (Newswire)

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A specialist medical team from the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health is scheduled to arrive in Deniyaya to investigate the fever outbreak rapidly spreading among schoolchildren, it was reported. 

According to Ada Derana, District Director of Health Services Sumith Manathunga said that the situation has not escalated to epidemic level. 

It is reported that the move comes as health authorities seek to assess the situation and recommend measures to contain the spread. 

Acting on earlier guidance, Zonal Director of Education for Deniyaya, Nishaka Hettiyagoda, ordered the closure of four schools in the area on 7 and 8 May. 

The schools closed are Deniyaya Central College, Deniyaya Rajapaksa Maha Vidyalaya, Deniyaya St. Matthew’s Bilingual School, and Pallekanda Siddhartha Vidyalaya. 

Officials said the decision was taken in view of the rising number of students and teachers affected.

Meanwhile, Southern Province Education Secretary N.K.R. Pathirana noted that decisions regarding reopening will be taken based on instructions provided by health authorities. (Newswire)

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Four schools in the Deniyaya Education Zone will be closed tomorrow (May 8) following a rapidly spreading fever condition among schoolchildren, it was reported.

Zonal Education Director Nishaka Hettiarachchi said the decision was taken on the recommendation of health authorities as a measure to control the spread of the illness.

The schools to be closed are Deniyaya Central College, Deniyaya Rajapaksa Maha Vidyalaya, Deniyaya St. Matthew Bilingual School, and Pallekanda Siddhartha Vidyalaya.

According to reports, the move was prompted by the rising number of cases among both students and teachers.

Health officials have urged parents to strictly follow health guidelines and to seek immediate medical treatment for children showing symptoms. (Newswire)

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The Maradankerni Police have arrested five students in connection with an incident where a group photograph of 16 female teachers from a school in the Uduththurai area in Kankasanthurai was manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to make them appear nude and then circulated via WhatsApp.

According to the Lankadeepa newspaper, the Police said the suspects are students who sat for this year’s GCE Ordinary Level examination and are currently awaiting results. 

The arrests were made following a complaint lodged by the school administration.

Investigations revealed that four of the students had the doctored images stored on their mobile phones during examinations of the devices. (Newswire)

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A ban on mobile phones in schools in England is to be introduced by the government to ensure that “critical safeguarding legislation” is passed.

The government will table an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in the House of Lords after the bill was held up by peers on opposition benches.

It will make existing guidance on mobile phone bans in schools statutory, a move that ministers have resisted until now.

The government had consistently argued that the vast majority of schools had already banned mobile phones, and that there was no need to add a legal requirement. They finally capitulated, however, describing it as “a pragmatic measure” to get the bill through.

Announcing the move on Monday, the education minister Jacqui Smith told the Lords: “We recognise the strength of feeling on this issue, both in this house and beyond.”

“Notwithstanding the fact that we think the guidance we already have in place provides headteachers and schools with a range of approaches to be able to deliver the objective that we all share, we are committing to tabling an amendment in lieu which will place the existing guidance on a statutory footing on the face of the bill, creating a clear legal requirement for schools.”

“We’ve listened to concerns about how we support headteachers in delivering on this policy and we have listened to parliament.”

The bill is regarded by many as the biggest piece of child protection legislation in decades and includes proposals for a compulsory register for children who are not in school, a crackdown on profiteering in children’s social care, and a “single unique identifier” to help agencies track a child’s welfare.

Pepe Di’Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “A statutory ban on mobile phones in schools doesn’t really change very much. Most schools already have policies in place under which pupils are not permitted to use mobile phones.

“What would really be helpful is for the government to make funding available to schools for the safe and secure storage of mobile phones, such as storage lockers or locked pouches.”

The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has previously written to headteachers in England to stress that schools should be phone-free throughout the entire school day, but the guidance has been non-statutory.

Research from the children’s commissioner for England last year found that 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools already had policies in place that limited or restricted the use of mobile phones during the school day.

However, many headteachers, dealing with challenges from parents, will welcome the move, which will provide clarity in classrooms.

Ministers have only grudgingly agreed to it. A government spokesperson said: “The repeated attempts by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to kill off some of the most far-reaching child protection legislation is utterly abhorrent, and a dismal failure of some of the most vulnerable children in our country. (The Guardian)

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The Ministry of Education has announced that the distribution of school uniform material donated by the People’s Republic of China for the year 2026 has been completed.

According to the Ministry, a total of 11.484 million meters of uniform cloth was provided as a donation, covering the annual requirement for students of government and government‑assisted schools, student monks in government‑approved pirivenas, lay mothers, and lay students.

The Ministry confirmed that the cloth has now been distributed to 4,418,404 students across the country, ensuring that all eligible recipients have received their allocations. (Newswire)

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The first school term for Sinhala and Tamil medium government and government-approved private schools for 2026 will end today, April 10, the Ministry of Education announced.

According to the Ministry, the third phase of the first term for Muslim schools will also conclude today.

The second school term for Sinhala and Tamil schools and the fourth phase of the first term for Muslim schools will commence on Monday, April 20, 2026. 

The announcement applies to all government and government-approved private schools across the country. (Newswire)

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