By. CSNA Staff
Budget 2025 has allocated the highest-ever funding for education in the country’s history, with Rs. 619 billion set aside for the sector over the next eight months.
Prime Minister and Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Training Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya announced this during the Parliamentary debate on the Education Ministry’s expenditure, yesterday.
The Budget aims to drive social, political, and economic transformation through comprehensive education reforms, the Premier said.
The Government’s educational reform plan is built on five key pillars. The first focuses on updating and modernising the curriculum to produce a workforce capable of contributing to societal transformation. Accordingly, Rs. 250 million has been allocated for curriculum revisions and an additional Rs. 160 million for related projects. While past attempts at education reforms have been made, they have not been fully implemented, largely due to focusing only on curriculum changes without addressing other critical areas, the Prime Minister said.
The second pillar of the reform plan is capacity development. This includes training not only teachers but also school principals, educationists, and administrators. The Government has allocated Rs.1.64 billion for this purpose, marking the highest-ever investment in human resource development in education.
A significant portion of this will go towards improving teacher training colleges and education faculties in universities.
The Prime Minister highlighted the poor conditions in national teacher training institutions, with inadequate facilities such as housing, water, and proper classrooms. The Budget aims to address these issues.
The third pillar focuses on infrastructure development. Many schools across the country lack basic facilities such as proper classrooms, drinking water, and sanitation. The Government has allocated Rs. 11 billion to complete unfinished school infrastructure projects, with a special focus on sanitation. The goal is to ensure that no child attends a school without proper sanitation facilities.
Additional funds amounting to Rs. 11.12 billion through the central Ministry and Rs 14.89 billion through Provincial Councils have been allocated to further improve school facilities, particularly in plantation communities.
The fourth pillar of reform is strengthening the examination system. The Prime Minister acknowledged the psychological stress placed on students due to Sri Lanka’s highly exam-oriented education system. The Government has allocated Rs. 12.36 billion to the Examinations Department to improve assessment systems, enhance infrastructure, and modernise the evaluation process.
The fifth and final pillar focuses on broader societal engagement in education. The Government aims to initiate a national dialogue on education transformation, ensuring that reforms are not limited to the Ministry or schools but involve the entire society. This includes engaging social activists and experts to foster a progressive discourse on the role of education in shaping the country’s future.
Higher education is also a key focus of the 2025 Budget. The Government is prioritising quality over expansion, ensuring that new universities and faculties are established with proper planning and resources. Many existing institutions, particularly those catering to vocational and technical education, suffer from poor infrastructure. For example, the Prime Minister highlighted inadequate facilities at institutions such as the Hardy Advanced Technological Institute in Ampara and the German Tech Institute in Kilinochchi. To address these issues, Rs. 36.84 billion has been allocated for higher education infrastructure improvements.
Vocational education is another crucial aspect of the Government’s strategy. The Prime Minister emphasised the need to elevate vocational training from being seen as a secondary option to a respected and modernised educational pathway. The Government aims to align vocational education with global labour market demands, ensuring that Sri Lankan youth are equipped with the necessary skills for future employment.
In her speech, Prime Minister Amarasuriya urged all stakeholders, regardless of political affiliations, to support these education reforms. She emphasised that the transformation of education is essential for creating a humane, ethical, and progressive society. “This is not just about shaping minds; it’s about shaping hearts,” she stated, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to meaningful and human-centered education reforms.