The Education Ministry anticipates significant advancements in the education sector through its current reform initiatives, State Minister of Education Arvind Kumar said.

The State Minister urged all teachers to grasp the importance of their role and act conscientiously, highlighting their crucial responsibility in shaping the future generation of the country.

He added that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has allocated necessary financial resources to the Ministry of Education for these reforms in the education sector, underscoring his commitment to these initiatives.

Addressing a press briefing at the Presidential Media Centre on Friday (July 12), the State Minister provided details of the education reforms initiated by the Education Ministry.

• Schools:

Efforts are underway to enhance school facilities for children with special needs, including the appointment of trained teachers dedicated to their support.

Plans are also in place to expand the number of Zonal Education Offices to 120. 

Additionally, pending teacher appointments, as well as appointments for third-grade principal positions and education administrative service officers, are being processed.

• Employment opportunities:

Over 500 language teachers proficient in Korean, German, French, Hindi, Chinese, and Japanese have been recruited.

They have been deployed to schools, particularly targeting employment opportunities.

• Universities: 

Plans are underway to elevate 19 National Colleges of Education across the country into universities.

This initiative aims to produce teachers graduating from these institutions within four years. 

This expansion is projected to increase college enrolment from 5,000 to 7,500 students, resulting in an annual output of 7,500 qualified teachers.