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

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member. It is a privilege to respond in this debate on nationally important education reform. I thank Members from Government and Opposition for a rich discussion. We hope to continue this dialogue in and outside Parliament with everyone’s participation.

¶ 02 First, these reforms are not the proprietary work of the National People’s Power. Concepts like modules and credits are global; no one “owns” knowledge. Many have long contributed to the ongoing discourse on reform. Yet, despite decades of proposals, implementation lagged—hence today’s serious problems.

¶ 03 As the President noted, while there are teacher surpluses in some areas, there are also shortages elsewhere due to misallocation. A Ministry census across 10,097 schools shows that in 2024, 0.61% of enrolled students dropped out—20,755 children. More alarming, 80,591 students did not attend regularly. These numbers tell us that beyond concepts and policies, we must execute solutions. That is our focus.

¶ 04 This reform is not only curricular; the entire system must be prepared: infrastructure, human resources, examinations and public awareness. Alongside curriculum reform, we are developing human resources—updating teacher knowledge, modernizing Faculties of Education and Teacher Training Colleges—with budget allocations from 2025 already in motion.

¶ 05 We have also established a Digital Task Force to assess schools’ readiness for digital education and identify where to invest. On human resources, we are studying teacher numbers needed by stream, training requirements, placement challenges and Ministry capacity gaps, to ensure the new system functions.

¶ 06 Assessment is pivotal. The Department of Examinations is working on a national assessment framework to validate school-based assessments.

¶ 07 A broad public sensitization is essential—parents, teachers and students must understand the change. That is why the timeline begins with Grades 1 and 6 in 2026, allowing about three years to prepare for O/L changes, to refine curricula through consultation, and to build capacity.

¶ 08 Regarding a “concept paper” or White Paper: if any Member already has such a paper allegedly prepared by the NIE, please share it; there is no finalized White Paper withheld by the Ministry. We are following due process: draft modules have been reviewed by the Academic Advisory Board and Ministry subject panels. The NIE, Ministry and Department of Examinations must work together; no single institution can do this alone. We have created the necessary coordination structures.

¶ 09 On the allegation that a Ministry-side group arbitrarily altered NIE modules, especially for religion: that is incorrect. Sensitive subjects undergo a rigorous review, including by advisory councils representing each religion, such as the Islamic Advisory Council. We proceed on consensus before finalizing.

¶ 10 We are fully aware of our societal context. This journey must be collective, not driven by a few individuals’ preferences. Please do not attempt to pit institutions against each other. This reform requires all three—NIE, the Ministry, and the Department of Examinations—working together.

¶ 11 Some asked whose “stamp” is on this. This is Sri Lanka’s education policy, not the property of one person or party. Many, named and unnamed, have contributed; we respect them all.

¶ 12 Process-wise, we have presented our proposals to the Ministry’s Advisory Council and created subcommittees aligned to each pillar, including representation from Opposition Members. We will further refine documents produced through these dialogues. As our Chief Government Whip said, we can dedicate a day each month for continued debate. We have already shared presentations and will share printed material in any format required. There is nothing to hide.

¶ 13 We are meeting provincial officials across the country—four provinces covered, Northern Province scheduled for 2-3 August—to ensure readiness everywhere by 2026. Not everything can be decided today; technology and contexts evolve, and we have built flexibility into the system. For A/L, we enable interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary combinations, and after O/L there will be opportunities to re-orient streams based on diagnostics. We have adjusted period lengths to allow for discussion-based, learner-centred methods rather than note-taking alone. Our goal is to cultivate self-directed learners and schools that foster such environments.

¶ 14 This is the beginning. We all agree reform is necessary. We will listen to constructive criticism and keep the process open. Our long-term vision is to produce modern citizens—creative, peaceful, culturally grounded—capable of engaging the modern world with dignity. Thank you for your valuable suggestions and continued engagement.

¶ 15 And it being past 5.30 p.m., the Hon. Presiding Member adjourned Parliament without Question put.

¶ 16 Parliament adjourned accordingly at 6.02 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Friday, 25th July, 2025.