The Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake - President, Minister of Defence; Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; and Minister of Digital Economy

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I wish to present several points on the new education reforms. We all know the current system, its outputs, and the economy it serves are unsatisfactory. We need broad reforms—not merely a tweak to syllabi—but a transformation aligned to a new social and economic trajectory.

¶ 02 Sri Lanka has high population density and limited commercializable natural resources—no significant proven oil, gas, or mineral reserves at present. Our most valuable resource is human capital. Our economic strategy must therefore focus on developing human resources to propel the state to a new level.

¶ 03 Abroad, we classify migrant jobs as domestic, unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, and professional. Only around 3 percent enter professional jobs; 97 percent are in the other categories. We occupy a low rung in the global labour market. To move up, we need a high-quality education system aligned with contemporary knowledge creation and diffusion.

¶ 04 Socially, ignorance and poverty travel together. Education is pivotal in poverty alleviation—“If one child learns, the whole family rises.” There is also a relationship between low education and crime/addiction. Thus, for both economic and social transformation, education is foundational.

¶ 05 First, we must grasp the magnitude of the problem. One is school dropouts: 16,673 in 2019; 20,759 in 2022; 20,755 in 2024. No child should leave before completing the compulsory 13 years. For example, of 358,596 children admitted to Grade 1 in 2011 (born 2006), only about 311,000 sat O/Ls in 2021—roughly 47,000 left the system. Some may have shifted to private or foreign systems, but many dropped out. Our reform’s prime goal is to keep every child in school through 13 years, addressing economic hardship, family conflicts, migration, and child vulnerability. If a child misses three consecutive days, an officer must investigate. Every child must be retained.

¶ 06 Second, while public debate often fixates on higher education and private universities, the main problem lies in school education. In 2023, 98 schools admitted no new students at all. The distribution is stark: 115 schools have fewer than 10 students; 406 under 20; 752 under 30; 1,141 under 40; 1,506 under 50. About 15 percent of schools have fewer than 50 students; roughly a third have fewer than 100. In such micro-schools, children miss literature festivals, sports meets, excursions, and peer socialization. We must review and take decisions—some schools may need closure, amalgamation, relocation, or new schools established elsewhere. We will examine each case on the ground, considering nearby options and transport support where needed, rather than blanket labels.

¶ 07 Teacher-student ratios reveal human resource wastage. Nationally 1:18 is good, yet districts report shortages alongside tiny schools with ratios like 1:5. In one Triṅcomalee school: 2 students, 2 teachers; in Bandarawela/Haldummulla: 3 students, 3 teachers; another in Triṅcomalee: 4 and 4. No outcomes for students or teachers; resources are misallocated. We will ensure every child has access to a well-resourced school with robust human resources and social/extra-curricular exposure.

¶ 08 Third, our children are over-mechanized—tuition from 4 a.m., school, then tuition late into the night. They lack a living childhood—arts, music, literature, play, community activities. We must reduce the oppressive weight of education and restore a vibrant student life.

¶ 09 Fourth, the system is linear: Grade 1, Scholarship exam, O/L 9 As, A/L Science/Maths, then Medicine/Engineering. Families across strata aspire only to doctor/engineer tracks, compressing social value into a few professions. Society needs a multitude of skilled vocations with professional standing. Today many trades lack certification, standards, and accountability—masons, carpenters, barbers, electricians—often learned informally, with variable quality. We must professionalize every vocation with competencies, ethics, and certification. Education is a network of many paths, not a single road.

¶ 10 Our reform aims to expand pathways. Up to Grade 9, students learn core social competencies. In Grades 10–11, they select a path through structured dialogue among student, parents, and teachers—moving away from mere social prestige. There must be continuity between O/L and A/L without the current gap. We will phase reforms: start Grade 6 in 2026, Grade 7 in 2027, Grade 8 in 2028, Grade 9 in 2029. The 2029 cohort will undergo pathway decisions with three years to internalize that education is multi-path and that every vocation has social value and dignity. Students will be able to change paths during Grades 9–11 as they discover fit.

¶ 11 Then Grades 12–13 will consolidate the chosen path—be it cinema, agriculture, philosophy, Buddhist studies, etc. Foundational knowledge in geography, social science, philosophy, religion, and history will be for all; advanced specialization will be available for those who wish to go deeper—e.g., American history, European history, or history of human civilization. Claims that we are “removing history or religion” are false; we intend to cultivate better historians and citizens with deeper understanding.

¶ 12 Currently, around 38,000–40,000 A/L students enter state universities; some go abroad; some to local private institutions; some to government vocational courses; many stop altogether. Especially in villages, parents view A/L as the terminal level. We must build strong pathways beyond A/L—both university and vocational. Today’s technical colleges are often outdated; many students drop out due to stigma and poor environments. Vocational education has become a last resort for those who could not enter medical/engineering, go abroad, or afford private study. Our policy is to make vocational education a primary, high-status option.

¶ 13 By 2033, we will establish at least 40 modern vocational centres—no fewer than two per district—distributed beyond Colombo, with cutting-edge technology and training. Students should feel that these centres are on par with universities. After 13 years of compulsory education, no child should fall through cracks; we will provide open routes—academic and vocational.

¶ 14 A critical challenge is teachers. Teachers serve 30–35 years; knowledge cycles now change every five. We must institute recurrent training: at minimum, one year of training every five years—refreshing with new knowledge and methods. Proper human resource management and school network reorganization will free teacher capacity, allowing a standing proportion to be in training at any time, including via distance modes. Our role as political leadership is to set goals, structures, and frameworks; experts must design curricula, subjects, and timelines. We will not politicize subject inclusion; that is for education professionals.

¶ 15 This is the beginning of a broad step to transform our society, economy, and children’s future. Next year, we expect to commence at Grades 1 and 6. Final outcomes will reach the terminal exams around 2033. The framework is prepared; let Parliament and stakeholders discuss and refine it. This is a long-term, cross-government reform. On other matters we can debate vigorously, but on this, let us unite.

¶ 16 Thank you.