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

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, I provide the following answers.

¶ 02 (a) (i) Annual Grade One admissions: - Government schools: 287,639 - Private schools: 11,153 (includes aided and unaided private schools; international schools not included) - Pirivena (ages 5–6): 167 Total (Government, Private, Pirivena): 298,959

¶ 03 (ii) Grade One admissions over the past five years (Government, Private, Pirivena unless noted): - 2023: 298,959 - 2022: 303,868 - 2021 (Government and Private only): 315,363 - 2020 (Government and Private only): 330,571 - 2019 (Government and Private only): 343,912

¶ 04 (iii) GCE (O/L) candidates and passes; GCE (A/L) candidates qualified for university admission over the last three years:

¶ 05 GCE (O/L) - 2023: School candidates sat 329,006; passed 245,878. Private candidates sat 15,213; passed 7,304. Total sat 344,219; total passed 253,182. - 2022: School 325,008; passed 238,043. Private 15,315; passed 7,393. Total 340,323; passed 245,436. - 2021: School 318,680; passed 234,251. Private 15,235; passed 7,993. Total 333,915; passed 242,244.

¶ 06 GCE (A/L) - University eligibility - 2023: School candidates sat 229,057; qualified 151,343. Private sat 40,556; qualified 22,101. Total sat 269,613; qualified 173,444. - 2022: School 232,797; qualified 149,487. Private 31,136; qualified 17,451. Total 263,933; qualified 166,938. - 2021: School 236,035; qualified 149,946. Private 36,647; qualified 21,551. Total 272,682; qualified 171,497.

¶ 07 (iv) From the above GCE (A/L), students who qualified for and gained admission to state universities: - 2023: Total sat 269,613; qualified 173,444. (Admissions figures as per placement follow below under part (b).)

¶ 08 (b) (i) For 2023/2024 A/L: 269,613 sat; 173,444 qualified; 87,776 applied to universities; 42,282 were selected to state universities. Those who qualified but did not gain admission pursue alternatives: some go overseas for higher education, some enroll in external degree programmes of state universities, and some enter non-state higher education institutions. Others proceed to institutions such as the University of Vocational Technology, the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission institutes, and Institutes of Technology.

¶ 09 (ii) Students enrolled in private universities in Sri Lanka (institutions recognized under Section 25 of the Universities Act, No. 16 of 1978) in 2024 for local degree programmes: approximately 49,146, based on data provided by 28 recognized degree-awarding institutions.

¶ 10 Additionally: - 2023: Admissions to external degree programmes of state universities: 19,204 - 2023: Open University of Sri Lanka admissions to degree programmes: 11,964 - 2023: University of Moratuwa, Institute of Technology external degree programmes: 772 - 2023: University of Colombo, Institute for Agro-Technology and Rural Sciences external degree programmes: 470

¶ 11 (iii) Students going overseas for higher education do so privately; therefore, the Ministry cannot compute total foreign exchange outflow. However, over the past five years, the Ministry of Education’s Higher Education Division has awarded scholarships to 511 students, with expenditure of USD 7,535, equivalent to LKR 1,825,011.31.

¶ 12 (iv) Total allocation for education and as a percentage of GDP over the past five years: - 2020: LKR 340 billion; 2.2% of GDP - 2021: LKR 347 billion; 2.0% - 2022: LKR 390 billion; 1.6% - 2023: LKR 446 billion; 1.6% - 2024: LKR 493 billion; 1.6% - 2025 (Estimate): LKR 622 billion; 1.9%

¶ 13 (c) Does not arise.