The Hon. Nalin Hewage - Deputy Minister of Vocational Education

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, the answer is as follows:

¶ 02 (a)(i) In government schools in the Western Province, as at December 2025, school committees for implementing compulsory education regulations have been established.

¶ 03 Western Province — Schools: Total 1,344; Committees established: 1,217; Not yet established: 127. Instructions have been issued to Provincial/Zonal/Divisional levels to establish remaining committees; Provincial Directors have taken action.

¶ 04 (ii) Yes. The numbers of out-of-school children in 2025 have been identified as shown:

¶ 05 Identification of out-of-school children and reintegration: - 2024: Identified out-of-school children (female 347; male 364; total 711). Reintegrated to formal education (female 280; male 290). Non-formal literacy classes (female 5; male 4). Special education units (female 10; male 18). - 2025: Identified out-of-school children (female 424; male 461; total 885). Reintegrated to formal education (female 384; male 393). Non-formal literacy classes (female 5; male 5). Special education units (female 11; male 23).

¶ 06 Re-admission outcomes: - 2024: Dropped out 597; re-admitted 550 (female 241; male 309); not re-admitted 47 (female 26; male 21). - 2025: Dropped out 301; re-admitted 210 (female 109; male 101); not re-admitted 91 (female 42; male 49).

¶ 07 (iii) Figures provided above.

¶ 08 (b)(i) Identified.

¶ 09 (ii) In each zone of the Western Province, an assessment committee has been established under Circular 33/2022. Students referred by teachers and principals are assessed by the Zonal Assessment Committee comprising: - Zonal Subject Director (Special Education) - Zonal Subject Director (Primary Education) - Primary Teacher Instructor - Special Education Resource Contributor - Senior Special Education Teacher

¶ 10 (iii) A precise numeric value cannot be stated here.

¶ 11 (iv) In line with Ministry of Education Circular 37/2020 dated 03.12.2020 on inclusive education and provision for learners with special educational needs (SEN): - Early identification with support of Public Health Midwives under the Medical Officer of Health; registration at the Zonal Education Office before age 3; placement in Special Education Units at age 4. - Awareness for provincial/zonal officers, principals, heads of sections, and teachers; sectoral development of Special Education. - Implementation of Circular 33/2022 and guidance compendium on assessment; functioning of zonal assessment committees. - Training of Special Education teachers in inclusive pedagogy (Guides I and II) across all provinces; development and inclusion of SEN learners. - Introduction of a guidance compendium on identification and educational intervention for SEN learners and training of Special Education teachers. - Establishment of the National Institute for Special and Inclusive Education to assess SEN learners, provide vocational training, teacher training, and parental awareness. - Provision of learning aids to Special Education Units in National Schools. - Provision of spectacles and assistive devices to identified students at provincial level. - Circular 28/2024 issued to develop education in assisted special schools with quality improvement guidance; ongoing supervision of assisted special schools and schools with Special Education Units to improve learning outcomes. - Circular 2025/01 on examination accommodations for SEN learners has been prepared and sent for printing. - Annual training programmes in sign language and Braille for Special Education teachers; training of primary teacher instructors and teachers on identification and educational intervention for SEN learners.

¶ 12 (v) Yes.

¶ 13 (vi) Under Gazette Extraordinary No. 1963/30 on compulsory education: - School Committees must identify out-of-school children within their catchment and address issues to enroll them. - Supervision Committees may enroll children identified by members upon recommendation of the Divisional/Zonal Director of Education. - If a Grama Niladhari, Child Protection Officer or any other person identifies an out-of-school child, the matter must be referred to the Zonal Director (Chair of the Supervision Committee) for compulsory enrollment. - Children lacking basic literacy are first routed to non-formal literacy courses and enrolled in school during the literacy acquisition period.

¶ 14 (c) Not applicable.