Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has called for Sri Lanka’s education and assessment systems to be modernized, with greater emphasis on skills, creativity, experiential learning and the overall development of students.

The Prime Minister made the remarks at a public lecture in Colombo titled “250 Years of Educational Excellence: Lessons from a Sri Lankan American,” delivered by Fulbright Specialist Dr. Priyanvada Abeywickrama.

She said reforming the assessment system is a key part of the government’s ongoing education reforms, aimed at reducing excessive dependence on examinations and promoting activity-based and experiential learning, the Office of the Prime Minister said in a statement.

The Prime Minister stressed that the reforms would not undermine the strengths of Sri Lanka’s existing education system, which has produced generations of academically successful students, but would instead seek to modernize it to meet current and future needs.

She also highlighted the need to improve digital literacy among teachers, principals and parents, while ensuring that academic and vocational education pathways receive equal recognition.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said international expertise and collaboration would play an important role in implementing the proposed education reforms, while appreciating Dr. Abeywickrama’s month-long contribution to the process.

The event was organized by the United States-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission, which has promoted academic, cultural and professional exchanges between the two countries since 1952.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working with local and international experts to build a more inclusive, modern and future-ready education system in Sri Lanka, the Prime Minister’s Office added.