Colombo (LNW): Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, has announced the initiation of a pilot programme for the implementation of new educational reforms across all grades in the upcoming year.
The programme aims to digitise the entire education system with support from local and foreign sponsors.
Minister Premajayantha also revealed plans to conduct the GCE O/L Examination in Grade 10 and the GCE A/L Examination in Grade 12.
The 2024 budget allocates Rs. 237 billion to the Ministry of Education and an additional Rs. 280 billion for provincial education, totaling approximately Rs. 517 billion for education.
Special programmes for the educational advancement of children with special needs and the introduction of an inclusive education system are part of the agenda.
Efforts are directed toward STEAM education, emphasising science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The digitalisation of the education system will be introduced through a pilot programme in the coming year, spanning grades 1-5, 6-9, and 10-13.
Plans to revise student exam grades are underway, aiming for university completion before the age of 21. In the next year, 2,535 teachers will be recruited for estate school development, and training opportunities will be extended.
A special programme for early childhood development, targeting children aged 3-5, has been devised in collaboration with the Children’s Secretariat, National Institute of Education, and UNICEF.
Proactive measures are being implemented to fill existing vacancies within the education service before the next school year.
