EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION REFORM: Sri Lanka to Implement Sweeping Changes

The Sri Lankan government has announced plans to reform its education system, with the aim of providing equal access to quality education for all students in the country. The reforms are part of the National Education Policy Framework 2023-2033, which was developed to align with the country’s vision of becoming a “fully developed Sri Lanka by 2048”.

The Ministry of Education has proposed a number of changes to the education administration structure, including:

Classifying schools according to international standards
Establishing nine Provincial Education Restructuring Units
Increasing the number of Zonal Education Offices in a phased manner from the current 314 to between 100 and 122
Setting up 350 School Clusters, incorporating the existing 314 Circuit Education Offices, to improve school supervision, teacher oversight, and school-based assessments
Designating some selected secondary schools as lead schools and forming clusters of 8-12 schools around them to create a more comprehensive school structure across 1,220 clusters
Recruiting staff for the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service and the Teacher Advisor Service

The announcement comes after the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal by the Education Minister to implement these changes. The reforms are intended to ensure a long-term learning approach by introducing changes to the institutional framework, curriculum, and assessment methods.