The Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senevirathna - Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, thank you for time for this special, important, timely, and sensitive debate. It is sensitive because of the anxiety and uncertainty among parents and the public. If we had clear, principle-based, goal-oriented policies, society would be less unsettled. People want to know what is being done and how. Hence, this debate is important.

¶ 02 We have goals. Our policy states: “Education is the cultural process through which knowledge created by all social stages past and present is acquired and shared, producing new knowledge. The existence and development of a cultured and responsible society rests on its quality education process.” Our guiding principles are: free education and equal access; relevance to human development and employability; social responsibility; sustainability and innovation; and lifelong learning.

¶ 03 The Opposition Leader’s point is valid: goals, principles, and actions. On actions, UNESCO advises integrating equity, gender equality, global citizenship education, media and information literacy, etc., into reforms. We will proceed with a plan that is goal-driven, principled, and time-bound.

¶ 04 Current realities: around 5,000 schools have only 100–200 students each; there are wide disparities in human resources and infrastructure. We must proceed with data-driven policymaking. We structured reforms into five pillars because this is long-term: assessment; human resource development and training; public awareness and outreach; curriculum; and infrastructure and administration.

¶ 05 We will extend infrastructure to remote areas. Our plan envisages a small school within 3 km and accessible secondary schools thereafter. Teacher training across relevant domains has already commenced. We will align assessment with curriculum changes. Public dialogue is essential; we are open to constructive criticism. For 2026, we will commence with Grade 6. This is not a White Paper thrust top-down; it is a consultative process.

¶ 06 Early childhood development is a shared domain with the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs; policies exist, and we are setting up regulation and guidance. Primary education will reflect our principles—activity-based and exam-free, with aesthetics, early science, and inquiry to reduce exam burden. We discussed the Scholarship exam as well.

¶ 07 Through these five pillars, we aim to end the compulsion to send children to distant city schools. Stepwise, by 2028 we will review, and in 2029 revisit the Scholarship exam if equitable provision has rendered it unnecessary.

¶ 08 For Grades 6–9 (junior secondary), we introduce a modular approach practiced globally. Subjects are broken into modules with ongoing and terminal assessments. Lighter school bags, progression upon completion, and introduction of new areas—like financial and verbal literacy—will feature. Students may also select additional modules aligned to skills.

¶ 09 [At this stage, the Hon. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake entered the Chamber.]

¶ 10 We will emphasise 21st century skills; learners can select from areas like aesthetics or digital citizenship. By Grade 9 there will be an assessment to identify strengths and pathways so that from Grade 10 onward students can make informed choices. Vocational education will be integrated as a respected, science-based pathway at Grade 9.

¶ 11 There will be seven examinable subjects; History and Aesthetics remain in the curriculum. Earlier, O/L choices for A/L were made post-exam, often influenced haphazardly. Now, during Grades 10–11, modules on skills linked to social sciences and management will help earlier pathway awareness, allowing students to decide before Grades 12–13. This continuity will drive the most significant change toward our goals.

¶ 12 Thank you.