📈 Cabinet Defers Grade 6 Education Reforms to 2027

The Sri Lankan Government has officially postponed the implementation of new learning modules for Grade 6 until 2027, following widespread public backlash over significant errors and inappropriate content in the pilot materials. • Current Status & Delays • Grade 6 reforms: Deferred to 2027 to facilitate a comprehensive review and correct "gross errors," including an inappropriate web link in the "Finding Friends" module. • Grade 1 reforms: Proceeding as planned, scheduled for launch on January 29, 2026. • Schools are instructed to revert to the old syllabus and textbooks for Grade 6 for the 2026 academic year. • Institutional & Structural Gaps • The crisis highlights a "gridlock" within the Ministry of Education, National Institute of Education (NIE), and the Department of Education Publications due to overlapping responsibilities. • Accountability concerns: Two senior officials have been sent on compulsory leave pending CID and internal investigations. • Funding at risk: Over Rs. 5.2 Bn was spent on reforms between 2020–2022 with limited classroom impact, potentially affecting future ADB and World Bank loan disbursements. • Proposed Policy Roadmap • Establish a National Teachers' Council to formalize professional input in policy. • Form a Parliamentary Select Committee to insulate education from political volatility. • Restructure central institutions to consolidate curriculum development under specialized units. _Note: Summary based on provisional Cabinet decisions and official ministry statements as of January 21, 2026._