Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the drafting of a Bill to establish an “Education Council” is expected to be completed within one year, with the objective of strengthening standardisation and professional development in Sri Lanka’s education sector and enhancing the dignity of the teaching profession.
The Prime Minister made these remarks in Parliament today (October 07) in response to a question raised by Member of Parliament Padmasiri Bandara.
The Prime Minister further stated:
“The Education Council is being established based on the recommendations of the expert committee appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. Cabinet approval to prepare the relevant Bill was granted on August 25, 2026. Accordingly, arrangements are currently underway to refer the relevant report to the Legal Draftsman for the preparation of the Bill in accordance with the Constitution and the existing laws and regulations.
The proposed Education Council is expected to fulfil a number of key objectives. It will take measures to ensure the professional development, standardisation, registration, regulation and supervision of education professionals at the pre-school, primary and secondary levels.
Another key function of the Council will be to advise the Minister of Education on professional development and quality assurance. It will also seek to develop bilingual educators and internationally recognised education professionals, thereby providing opportunities for everyone to access bilingual education.
In addition, the Council is expected to standardise qualifications relating to recruitment, promotions and professional development programmes, serve as an intermediary between the Government and education professionals in matters concerning their rights and grievances, and ensure the right of everyone to access equitable and quality education.
A key feature of these reforms is the introduction of a special professional licensing and certification system for teachers. These licences will be issued only to those who meet the required qualifications, based on competency standards and assessments.
This will help enhance the professional dignity of the teaching profession, similar to that enjoyed by other licensed professions. Measures will also be taken to improve school and classroom infrastructure required for teachers to perform their duties effectively.
However, the establishment of the Education Council will not involve the regulation of public or non-state higher education institutions, nor will it be responsible for assessing the quality of their academic programmes. This initiative has been introduced solely to improve the quality of the general education system.”
