Teacher unions have called on the public not to take Prime Minister and Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya’s assurances at face value, stating that the government’s proposed education reforms could still result in the closure of schools “under a different guise.”
Ceylon Teacher Service Union (CTSU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin stated that small schools are being effectively closed through mergers, with teachers redeployed to fill vacancies elsewhere.
“The government is closing down many schools by merging two or more low-student-attendance schools and redeploying teachers to other institutions. This is detrimental to both students and teachers. We call on the public not to accept these reforms in this manner. We are opposed to this,” Stalin said.
Several education sector unions have begun discussions on the proposed reforms and are exploring the possibility of forming a unified alliance to oppose them.
Addressing the Parliamentary Subcommittee on Education Reform on Wednesday (22), Prime Minister Amarasuriya reiterated that no schools would be closed.
She emphasized that the government’s policy aims to “integrate and develop” existing institutions, improve educational quality, and ensure equal opportunities across the country.
The Prime Minister also announced that a unified preschool curriculum will be implemented nationwide from 2026.
“The early childhood curriculum framework has already been finalised,” she said, noting that a training programme for approximately 19,000 preschool teachers will begin on 25 November, with sessions conducted across all provinces to align teaching practices with the new framework.
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