September 21, Colombo (LNW): Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya has firmly stated that the government has no plans to diminish the role of religious or aesthetic subjects within the national school curriculum, amid ongoing discussions about the structure of future education reforms.
Speaking in her capacity as Minister of Education during a meeting held at the ministry yesterday (20), Dr Amarasuriya addressed concerns raised by members of the Buddha Sasana Task Force regarding proposed changes to the Buddhism syllabus for students entering Grade 6 under the new 2026 curriculum framework.
The Prime Minister reassured attendees that religious instruction remains a vital part of holistic education and will not be sidelined. She emphasised that the upcoming reforms aim to strengthen, rather than dilute, students’ cultural and moral grounding.
In response to specific queries about the structure of religious studies in the new syllabus, officials from the Ministry’s Religion and Values Branch clarified that students will begin Grade 6 with an introductory unit offering a foundational understanding of all major religions. Following this, pupils will continue their religious education within their own faith tradition, as has been the longstanding practice.
The discussion also touched upon the existing shortage of qualified teachers in religious subjects, particularly Buddhism, across the country. Prime Minister Amarasuriya acknowledged the issue and confirmed that a national-level assessment is currently underway to gather accurate data on teacher availability in all provinces.
Based on this assessment, the ministry plans to implement a coordinated recruitment and placement strategy to ensure balanced distribution of educators where they are most needed.
