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Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Tuesday, 17 December 2024

10th Parliament· 15 debates· 315 speeches· 101 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1734685396083959 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  3. 3 Oral question Oral Question: Early Childhood Development Centres Registration and Monitoring (Q.45/2024) 7 speeches
    • Mr. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage asked the Minister of Women and Child Affairs for data on early childhood development centres in Sri Lanka, including the total number operating and how many are government-registered. He sought clarification on whether unregistered centres may operate, the basic qualifications required to run such a centre, and whether an action plan exists to monitor them.

      EducationWomen & Children Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs JJB

      AI summary The Minister provided figures on early childhood development centres and teachers as at 31 March 2024, stating there were 19,099 centres and 17,152 teachers, and confirmed that national standards have been introduced though not all centres meet them. She tabled the handbook on National Standards for Early Childhood Development Centres, outlining 20 standards across physical environment, health and safety, staff competence, learning environment, and management, including staffing ratios and facility requirements. She stated that registration, management and monitoring are devolved to Provincial Councils under the Thirteenth Amendment, with provincial authorities and national early childhood development officers conducting oversight.

      EducationWomen & Children Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage raised concerns about inconsistent Provincial Council statutes governing pre-schools and noted that over 2,000 Early Childhood Development centres appear to be operating without registration. He questioned the adequacy of current regulation, particularly regarding the qualifications and diploma processes for pre-school administrators. He asked whether the Government plans to introduce a national-level mechanism to ensure all pre-schools/ECD centres are properly regulated and registered.

      Education Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs JJB

      AI summary Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj said early childhood institutions are currently regulated through multiple bodies, including the National Child Protection Authority, Provincial Departments of Social Services, Provincial Pre-school Units and the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development. She stated that clearer and more uniform standards are needed, particularly on administrators’ and teachers’ qualifications, and that the sector should be better anchored within the national education system. She indicated plans to introduce a standardized diploma and a regulatory programme to bring existing pre-school teachers up to that standard, alongside new early childhood initiatives focused on soft skills, empathy and creativity.

      EducationWomen & Children Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage asked for clarification on the Government’s proposed school system reforms, particularly the plan to establish one school every three kilometres. He questioned whether the existing number of pre-schools would be sufficient under such a policy and whether a similar expansion or reform plan applies to pre-schools. He also requested details on the estimated number of new schools required and whether the policy has been fully assessed.

      Education Full speech →
    • The Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj - Minister of Women and Child Affairs JJB

      AI summary The Minister stated that Sri Lanka currently has 502,269 children in early childhood education, across first and second stages, and that policy should be based on these figures. She said the immediate priority is to standardize existing pre-schools and ensure adequate facilities, safety, and nutrition, while the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and the Ministry of Education work toward a common, multi-stakeholder decision, with further responses to follow.

      Women & ChildrenEducation Full speech →