Candidates promise education reforms
View(s):The main Presidential candidates have pledged to introduce a range of programmes in the education sector, if elected to power.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said a society which is equipped with knowledge and professional expertise should be created to overcome the technological, economic and societal challenges in future.
Samagi Jana Balawegaya candidate Sajith Premadasa has acknowledged that education is a fundamental right,
and said human capital development is their priority.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s NPP manifesto pledges to address the issue of job scarcity by fostering social development.
Following are the highlights related to education from the manifestos of the three candidates.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe:
n A new entity named Vocational Skills Sri Lanka (VSSL) will be established in 2025, amalgamating the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority and the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka.
n The Government will provide the funds required to provide vocational training to 50,000 students in 2025. Based on this pilot project, funds will be more extensively provided with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank.
n Provincial Vocational Education Boards will be established in all nine provinces before the end of 2026, and all vocational training centres in the provinces will be upgraded to vocational schools and brought under the established Provincial Vocational Education Boards.
n Technical and Vocational and Management University Colleges will be opened in all the provinces, with faculties thereunder in all districts.
n A new university will be established in Galaha-Kandy with the sponsorship of the Chennai Institute of Information Technology. Several other Technological Universities will be opened in Hewagam Korale, Siyane Korale and Sath Korale. These activities will be commenced from 2025 to 2028.
n University of Vocational Technology will be restructured and be renamed as Wimalasurendra Technological University by 2026.
The following universities will be added to the Sri Lanka university network by 2029.
*International Climate Change University and University of Agricultural Technology
*The present school infrastructure was created by taking into consideration the situation that prevailed decades ago. These infrastructure facilities are therefore now completely outdated. Steps will be taken to modernize the school infrastructure system to face the era of technology in 2040. Funding will be provided by the government.
*A programme to equip teachers with new knowledge and training will be implemented in the year 2025.
*The establishment of School Boards with representatives from School Development Societies and Past Pupils Associations will be completed within the period from 2025 to 2027.
*School education will be revised to focus on soft skills, life skills, and moral values. The system of examinations and evaluations will be revisited to enable students to start university education at the age of 17.
*”English for Al” programme which provides English education to all the school children will be implemented within the next decade. It has been planned to recruit 2500 English teachers as a short-term remedy to fil the vacancies for English teachers throughout the country; 1000 retired teachers, 400 from Teaching Colleges and 1100 graduates recruited through a competitive examination will come under the 2500 new teachers. The graduates recruited will be given a special training for a period of 3 months before their posting.
*Steps will be taken to change the method of compilation of school textbooks, and to revise the curricula to with a focus on interesting approaches to subject matter.
Sajith Premadasa
Following are some of the assurances given in the manifesto.
* Provide free public transportation to all teachers across Sri Lanka.
• Formulating a work plan by making policy decisions before January 2025 to address long drawn-out salary, pension and service issues in the education sector.
• Developing a roadmap to transform every school into a smart school by providing 100% electricity, water facilities, and physical resources to all schools in Sri Lanka.
• Teacher vacancies for the teaching of religion will be filled. Religious teaching in schools will be handled by those qualified in teaching religion.
• Building a Smart Sri Lanka, ensuring students can access digital learning platforms in schools shall be prioritized via an expanded ‘Sakwala’ programme.
This shall involve a total overhaul of delivering content using digital technology. This programme shall be extended to technical and vocational institutions and universities making quality education services affordable.
Create 10,096 foster school programme that attracts generous donors to support the establishment and improvement of SMART schools and digital infrastructure.
• Initiate a school twinning programme to foster global partnerships, cultural exchange, and collaborative learning opportunities between schools.
• Mandate that every school establish a trust fund supported by local communities to ensure the maintenance and sustainability of school facilities.
• Initiating actions from January 2025 to create a system of “STEEAM” education that prioritizes Science, Technology, English, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics in all institutions of education by expediting teacher training activities.
• When updating school curricula, expert opinions will be sought from domestic, multilateral institutions, and foreign governments and private sector human resource specialists. Efforts will be made to give due consideration to modern technological trends including Artificial Intelligence.
• Simplifying and restructuring the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination, which has put children under immense mental stress.
• Recognizing Early Childhood Education (ECE) as fundamental to developing responsible citizens, we will establish a regulatory authority with a multi- stakeholder advisory committee, upgrade child-friendly and modern infrastructure, enhance teacher training and accreditation, and promote parental engagement.
• Primary and secondary school education will be designed with the use of tools of modern technology so that a student can understand, speak, and write English from an early stage of schooling.
• All school going girl students from Grade 6 -13 can avail themselves on a self- selection basis to receive a monthly cash transfer for the purchase menstrual hygiene products.
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• Taking immediate steps to restructure the University Grants Commission to address professional issues in the university sector. Reforming the University Grants Commission Act and strengthening the independence of the University. Appointing higher education commission to oversee the quality of state, non-state and private higher education institutions. Take necessary measures to improve the international rankings of all government and non-governmental universities, thereby enhancing their international recognition.
• Sri Lanka will coordinate with IIT / IIM India to facilitate the establishment of such a university in the country, advancing technology and innovation.
• Enhance university twinning initiatives aimed at improving academic standards, research collaborations, and student exchange programme.
• The current loan programme of the government for education at non- governmental and private universities will be expanded to cover recognized private vocational training institutions as well.
• Vocational training curricula will be comprehensively modernized and standardized to align with current market demands, ensuring graduates possess relevant, in-demand skills.
• To productively utilize their labor contribution for the country’s development, we will provide them with the latest facilities for education, vocational training, and entrepreneurship, facilitating their access to new domestic and foreign opportunities.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
The NPP manifesto emphasizes the party’s commitment to equality and access for all citizens. NPP leader and presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his manifesto, pledges to address the pressing issue of job scarcity by fostering social development.
He envisions creating an environment where youth can thrive, becoming well-rounded individuals wherever they go. His plan includes paving the way for them to become responsible citizens, ensuring sustainability, promoting innovation, and providing high-quality education for all.
Talking about early childhood development, he said that he would give a formalized education for every child who is aged between 3 to 5 aiming at early childhood development and that they would establish an early childhood development centre not far from parents’ place of employment or their own house. He said that he would create an environment that would best fit the physical and psychological development of the child.
He also added that programmes would be established for them to develop their skills in other languages, not only their mother tongue. Cultural sensitivity will also be something to look at and there would be activities that would help with the child’s health and nutrition. And that to monitor these, there would be an institute that would be established and teachers, wardens, related professionals would be trained to achieve these purposes.
In addressing early childhood development, Mr. Dissanayake emphasized his commitment to providing formalized education for every child aged 3 to 5. His plan includes establishing early childhood development centers conveniently located near parents’ workplaces or homes. These centers will create an environment conducive to both the physical and psychological development of the child.
Additionally, Mr. Dissanayake highlighted the importance of language skills, proposing programs that encourage learning languages beyond the child’s mother tongue. Cultural sensitivity, along with health and nutrition, will be integral parts of the curriculum. To ensure these goals are met, a dedicated institute will be established to monitor progress, with specialized training provided to teachers, wardens, and related professionals.
He emphasized that primary and secondary education under his leadership would prioritize literacy, statistical knowledge, creativity, and communication skills. To support this vision, he committed to establishing a fully equipped school within 3 KM of every child’s home, ensuring that quality education is accessible to all. These foundational elements are seen as essential in preparing students to navigate and excel in an increasingly complex world, ensuring they are well-equipped for future challenges and opportunities.
He emphasized the importance of tailoring education to students’ skills, introducing subjects at the junior secondary level that align with their abilities. For senior secondary education, he proposed programs to enhance IT, language, life skills, literature, and law and order literacy while also focusing on practical skills development. He also mentioned allowing students to choose subjects based on their interests, whether for general education or vocational training, including sexual health education.
Additionally, he plans to establish a well-equipped center for evaluating national examinations and expedite the evaluation process to within two months of the exam, supported by a clear timetable. To ensure this system’s success, he aims to align the evaluators’ payments with their contributions. Mr. Dissanayake is committed to addressing pay disparities for teachers and principals, elevating the teaching profession to one of the top 10 highest-paying in Sri Lanka, and advancing the process in the National Institute of Education.
His manifesto outlines a comprehensive approach to education reform, emphasizing that education is a fundamental responsibility of the government. He pledges to ensure a nutritious meal for every child and establish school and community-based programs to address children’s psycho-social well-being.
The manifesto also commits to incrementally increasing the allocation for education to 6% of GDP and providing students the opportunity to choose vocational education from the 10th year of school.
Mr Dissanayake aims to eliminate pay disparities for teachers and principals, making the teaching profession one of the 10 highest-paying in Sri Lanka.
Additionally, he proposes increasing Mahapola and scholarship allowances to match the cost of living, setting up a university system dedicated to vocational education, and introducing 200 scholarships annually for degrees from the world’s top-ranked universities.
He announced plans to bolster research activities related to industry and development by establishing dedicated research centers. Additionally, he intends to consolidate all nursing colleges into a single, unified university for nursing, aimed at enhancing the quality and scope of nursing education.
In his mandate, he outlines plans to establish a dedicated unit within the Ministry of Education to oversee and monitor the course offerings of private universities, providing an alternative for students who are unable to gain admission to state universities.
He also proposes the creation of Community Educational Centers in every Divisional Secretariat jurisdiction to offer non-formal education in collaboration with local educational institutions, libraries, and cultural centers.
Additionally, he emphasizes the implementation of educational programs in Sinhala, Tamil, and English covering basic law, information technology, and the use of technical tools.
Recognizing the importance of open and distance education, he advocates for expanding these opportunities to ensure that higher education is accessible to those engaged in various professions or who have previously missed formal education. This expansion will leverage the facilities of Sri Lanka Open University to remove barriers related to employment status or geographic location.
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