The 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 table the answer.

¶ 02 (a) (i) Government-assisted special schools: 27.

¶ 03 (ii) Number of male and female students by disability: Annex 01 (placed in the Library).

¶ 04 (iii) Teachers serving in special schools: - Permanent teachers: 356 - Volunteer teachers: 42

¶ 05 (iv) Existing teacher vacancies in special schools: 49

¶ 06 (v) National schools with special education units: 114 Provincial schools with special education units: 765

¶ 07 (vi) Number of male and female students in units by disability: Annex 02 (placed in the Library).

¶ 08 (vii) Teachers (unit heads) teaching in special education units: 1,456

¶ 09 (viii) Teacher vacancies: - National schools: 17 - Provincial schools: 308

¶ 10 (b) (i) As per Ministry Circular 42/2012 and subsequent letters (ED/9/18/8/1 dated 2024.08.26 to Zonal Director, Galle; and 2024.08.05 to Provincial Director, Southern), teachers appointed to special education but teaching other subjects have been instructed to be reassigned. Further, by letter ED/9/18/8/1 dated 2025.07.14 from the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Provincial Directors, Zonal Directors, and Principals were instructed to immediately release and deploy such teachers to special education. By letter dated 2025.08.27, Provincial Directors were instructed to nominate schools for these teachers.

¶ 11 (ii) Yes, training programmes are conducted.

¶ 12 (iii) Conducted by: - National Institute of Education (NIE) - Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) - Non-Formal and Special Education Branch, Ministry of Education - Provincial Departments of Education - Zonal Education Offices

¶ 13 (iv) Measures to update legislation and policy guidance include: - Circular 37/2020 (2020.12.03) and guidance compendium. - Circular 33/2022 (2022.09.08) on Special Education Assessment and guidance. - Circular 02/2024 (2024.01.31) on school infrastructure and environmental design and guidance. - Inclusive Education Guideline: A fair opportunity for education. - Identification and educational intervention for students with special education needs. - Teacher guideline towards inclusive education II. - Circular 01/2025 (2025.07.30) and guidance compendium.

¶ 14 (v) Curriculum and teacher training: - Subjects are being adapted for learners with special needs; teacher training is ongoing. - Inclusive education is being introduced in the primary curriculum reform. Teachers will be guided on lesson access and focal attention areas for learners with special needs. - Inclusive approach is being embedded this cycle across Sinhala Language, Mathematics, Science, Civic Education, Health & Physical Education, and Primary Education. - Using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to present activities more accessibly.

¶ 15 (vi) Access and capacity: - Improving school access facilities and classroom design; introducing options such as oral responses where appropriate. - 54 Sinhala and Tamil medium training workshops for ISAs, ADEs, Principals and Teachers (target 2,800). Inclusive approaches have been introduced in 20 workshops so far; completion expected by end of October. - A Curriculum Guideline (with teacher’s handbook) is being prepared for submission to the Institute Council. - Implementation guidance for existing modules is provided by the Inclusive Education Branch.

¶ 16 (c) Not applicable.