Govt. & Teacher Unions Reach Consensus on Education Reforms 📈

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with teacher trade unions to finalize a collaborative framework for national education reforms, focusing on resource allocation and curriculum timelines. • Implementation Timelines: • Grade 1: Reforms are proceeding as scheduled for 2026. • Grade 6: Implementation deferred to 2027 to allow for curriculum revision, module development, and teacher training. • Digital Infrastructure & Funding: • The Government will fully fund ICT/BPM integration, including smart boards, televisions, and computers. • Authorities emphasized that these costs will not be passed on to parents. • Goal: Connect all secondary schools to the internet by the end of 2026. • Labor & Administrative Concerns: • Discussions addressed long-standing salary anomalies, promotions, and inter-provincial transfers. • A formal supervision mechanism was proposed, involving the National Education Commission and National Institute of Education to ensure transparency. • Economic Context: • The 2026 Budget has allocated Rs. 110 Bn for the second phase of public sector salary revisions starting January 2026. • Investment in digital education is viewed as a key driver for long-term human capital development and employment readiness.