Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held a series of meetings with key Philippine institutions during her ongoing official visit to the Philippines from 09–11 March 2026, focusing on strengthening cooperation in education, higher education, technical skills development, and agricultural research.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister met with the Secretary of Education of the Philippines, Sonny Angara. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in the education sector, including sharing best practices in education policy, teacher training, curriculum reforms, and digital learning initiatives. 

The Prime Minister also briefed the Philippine side on Sri Lanka’s ongoing education reforms aimed at modernizing curricula and integrating technology into learning, according to the Prime Minister’s Media Division.

The Prime Minister also met with a delegation of the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines (CHED), led by Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis. Discussions centered on the development of higher education in both countries, with particular attention to research collaboration, academic partnerships between universities, student and faculty exchanges, and strengthening quality assurance frameworks.

In a separate meeting, the Prime Minister held talks with the Secretary and Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Jose Francisco B. Benitez. The discussions focused on cooperation in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), including knowledge sharing, institutional partnerships, and possible alignment of qualifications frameworks to enhance skills recognition and workforce mobility.

The meetings reaffirmed the commitment of Sri Lanka and the Philippines, along with international research institutions, to strengthen collaboration in education, skills development, and agricultural research in support of sustainable development and human capital growth, the statement added.

The Sri Lankan delegation included the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Philippines, Dr. Chanaka Talpahewa, and Senior Assistant Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ms. P.H. Piyumee Bandara.