Sri Lanka's Education System to be Transformed: Dr. Harini Amarasuriya's 2026 Vision
In a fresh and historic overhaul, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has proposed plans to transform Sri Lanka's education system—to move away from rote learning and examination-driven pedagogy to a module-based curriculum suitable for the 21st century.

✅ Background & Timeline
The process of reform is initiated in 2025, making initial progress and appointing expert sub‑committees. Implementation proper begins in 2026, with Grade 1 and Grade 6 students applying the new syllabus.

The proper transition—that is, with the re‑designed G.C.E. Ordinary Level examinations—is scheduled to be fully achieved by 2029.
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Five Pillars of Reform
Dr. Amarasuriya presented a five-pillar strategic model:

Adopt a new, module‑based curriculum with skills focus and continuous assessment.

Build human resources, training all new teachers as graduates and duly licensed.
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Rebuild school infrastructure, reduce overcrowding, and re‑establish merit‑based admissions.
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Launch public awareness campaigns to inform parents and communities and secure their support for change.
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Improve examination and marking, shifting from term tests to project assignments, portfolios, and active learning.
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What Learners Will Experience
Module-based learning replaces traditional exams, with continuous, activity-driven assessment becoming the norm. The G.C.E. O/L in the new system is to be launched by 2029, allowing for a transition window for adjustment.
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Class sizes will cap at 25–30 students, eschewing cultural tradition in overpopulation through political gestures.
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Subs one time rumored to be cut—like History, Aesthetics, religious and vocational studies—are actually required, emphasizing the government's enthusiasm for balance in education.
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From Grade 6, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and even the rudimentary study of law will begin, laying the foundation for readiness in the outside world.
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Central Vision: People-Centered Reform
Dr. Amarasuriya frames this reform as a long-overdue upgrade beyond the post‑1945 Kannangara period, fitting for a nation ready to engage with a rapidly changing world. The focus: effective, confident citizens, not just high performers on tests.
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She called this shift a collective national imperative, avoiding politicization of education and calling for honest public discussion to dispel myths and intransigence.
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Risks & Realities: Why "How" Matters as Much as "What"
While reform has broad support, experts and civil society warn that mistakes of the past must not be repeated:

Previous attempts have collapsed due to inadequate teacher training, untested roll-out, and top-down imposition.

Others demand more transparency—public consultations, feedback time, and open policy working documents—to build buy-in and trust.
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In Summary: What's at Stake
Sri Lanka stands at a crossroads. If realized with care, Harini Amarasuriya’s plan could redefine education: more equitable, less stressful, and deeply relevant to today’s challenges. But success hinges on inclusive planning, phased implementation, and ongoing community engagement.

Her call: “We’re not just reforming curriculum—we’re reshaping a conversation.”

Behind the Reformer
Dr. Amarasuriya—Sri Lanka's first ever non-dynasty Prime Minister, and scholar with a Delhi, Macquarie, and Edinburgh degree—is no stranger to public service or to intellectual polemic. A well-known authority on inequality and youth labor, she has long advocated the raising of expenditure on education to 4–6% of GDP. Sri Lanka spends less than 2% now.
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Final Thought
As these reforms unfold, 2026-2029, the actual test of policy isn't policy—but whether schools, families, and communities can come together to reimagine learning. When approached ethically and inclusively, education reform is not an enhancement—it is a rebirth of civic hope.

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