The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, I thank Members on both sides for a valuable debate on a vital subject. Everyone here cares about education and many constructive suggestions were made. I am grateful to all who raised issues from their constituencies and offered proposals; we will consider them carefully.

¶ 02 I will not respond to those who spoke with hostility or ignorance; when hatred and ignorance combine, it is dangerous and unhelpful to a debate like this. To those who offered constructive criticism, I express appreciation once again.

¶ 03 On reforms planned for 2026: we will proceed methodically, step by step. One matter much discussed is extending school time by 30 minutes—from 1.30 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. This is not a mere administrative decision. The pedagogy we are introducing requires a structure that allows teachers and students to engage more comfortably, enables in-class assessment without undue pressure, and creates time for teamwork and group work. The National Education Commission recommended this duration; we reached agreement accordingly, and the Ministry has issued guidelines. We are coordinating with the Transport Ministry to adjust timetables and provide needed transport. I thank the Minister of Transport for the cooperation.

¶ 04 As preparation for 2026, 106 new modules for Grades 1 and 6 have been printed and distribution to schools has commenced. Training of Trainers (TOT) has been completed for 32 subjects for Grades 1 and 6, and training for 140,000 teachers is underway, to be completed by year-end. Principals have been briefed, and we will also conduct awareness programmes for parents of Grades 1 and 6. So far, we have completed 1,642 awareness programmes and 2,033 consultations.

¶ 05 We are aligning from Early Childhood: last week we launched the Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework; training begins in 2026 and implementation in 2027.

¶ 06 On medical admissions: globally, entry to medicine is highly competitive; typically only around 9 percent of those who qualify gain admission. Rather than focus only on expanding medicine, we are broadening opportunities across higher education so no student is left without a pathway—adding new subjects and streams, and especially integrating vocational education into school education.

¶ 07 Since 2025, alongside new syllabi, we have been improving infrastructure, addressing administrative issues and strengthening assessment. The 2025 Budget increased funding to the Department of Examinations, which improved efficiency and enabled quicker release of results. We conducted 71 national examinations this year and released results more promptly. We are equipping the Examinations Department and training teachers for the new assessment methods.

¶ 08 On digital facilities: through the Digital Task Force, we have assessed all secondary schools and allocated funds to provide connectivity and devices to establish at least one smart classroom per secondary school. We are not limiting reforms to books; we are simultaneously improving the necessary infrastructure and providing alternatives where online facilities are delayed.

¶ 09 These reforms are not just the Prime Minister’s or the Minister’s; they involve a broad group of officials and experts. Please do not attack the Government for its own sake; these reforms have been discussed over time with many stakeholders. We have a vision, policies and principles—equity, quality, and addressing disparities between schools and among students.

¶ 10 Parliament has now resumed.