New education reforms to be launched next year under five main pillars

New education reforms will be launched in 2026 and the process of preparing for it will take place in 2025, Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said. 

The Prime Minister made this statement when the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education met in Parliament on 07.03.2025 under her chairmanship. The Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Madura Seneviratne, was also present at this meeting.

The Chairperson said that the new education reforms are to be implemented under 05 main pillars. Accordingly, she pointed out that these new education reforms are to be introduced under the main pillars of introducing a new syllabus, developing human resources, developing infrastructure, educating the public and proper assessment and evaluation. She also added that arrangements have already been made to introduce these reforms for the first time in the year 2026 for children in the first and sixth grades, according to Parliament's Department of Communications. 

Discussions were held regarding the establishment of 6 sub-committees affiliated to the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. Accordingly, 6 sub-committees affiliated to the Consultative Committee are to be established on education reforms, shortage of human and physical resources in schools, admission of children to intermediate grades in schools, establishment of the Education Council, higher education sector, and skill education sector.

Matters related to this Ministry at the national and provincial levels were also discussed here.

Accordingly, in response to the issues raised by Members of the Ministerial Consultative Committee, the Prime Minister further stated that the funds allocated for education in this year's budget will be utilized as a priority to minimize disparities between schools, conduct physical inspections of schools to develop the necessary infrastructure, take necessary steps for currently suspended construction projects, and renovate and improve unsafe premises in schools.

Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament and officials of institutions under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education were present at this committee meeting.