By The Pulseline News Desk
The Government has launched a new set of teacher and activity guides aimed at transforming early childhood education by shifting preschool learning towards a more child-centred, play-based and inquiry-driven approach.
The Early Childhood Support Resource Guide, prepared in line with the Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework, was launched recently at the Ministry of Education premises in Isurupaya under the patronage of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.
The initiative forms part of the Government’s broader education reform programme and is intended to strengthen the quality of education provided to children during their formative years.
The resource package, introduced under the theme “Starting Right,” comprises four main components: the Teacher Guide, Suggested Activity Guide, Teaching and Learning Material Manual and Master Material Training Manual.
The guides have been developed to provide preschool teachers, trainers and other stakeholders with practical tools to introduce activity-based learning through play, exploration and age-appropriate learning activities.
Rather than focusing primarily on the transfer of knowledge, the new approach seeks to encourage children to explore, ask questions, participate in activities and develop skills through interaction with their learning environment.
The Government plans to implement the programme across preschools islandwide, with training programmes for trainers and preschool teachers to be conducted throughout the country.
The initiative is being implemented under the leadership of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education and the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, with support from institutions including the National Institute of Education and UNICEF.
Addressing the launch, Prime Minister Amarasuriya said the Government had planned to introduce the new education reforms beginning with early childhood education.
She said the new guidelines represented a significant shift in the learning process by promoting child-centred, inquiry-based and activity-based methods.
“We are trying to build an education system that evaluates what children can do with their knowledge, rather than one that merely provides knowledge,” she said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of involving parents in early childhood development, stressing the need to educate parents and build a society that is more responsive to children’s needs and safety.
The focus on preschool education comes as the Government seeks to establish stronger foundations for its wider education reforms, recognising early childhood development as a critical stage in a child’s learning and development.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savitri Paulraj said the new guidelines would provide a strong foundation for future generations.
She said the Government expected to establish an islandwide preschool system operating under a single national policy by 2027.
According to Paulraj, the proposed unified framework is intended to give parents greater confidence that children across the country will receive early childhood education based on common standards.
The Government’s plans therefore extend beyond introducing new teaching materials, with the initiative seeking to create a more consistent preschool education system while changing how young children learn.
Through the new resource package and nationwide teacher training, authorities hope to move Sri Lanka’s preschool sector away from a predominantly instructional model towards one that places greater emphasis on children’s curiosity, participation, creativity and ability to apply what they learn.
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