New curriculum will be introduced for preschools next year- PM Harini

A new curriculum for preschools will be launched in 2027, according to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. She announced this during a program for preschool teachers held today (15) at the Ambalantota Pradeshiya Sabha Auditorium in the Hambantota District. The Prime Minister mentioned that there will also be efforts to train teachers and create a regulatory authority to oversee preschools. During the event, teachers shared their current challenges with the Prime Minister. In response, Dr. Amarasuriya said, “The problems in the preschool system are linked to the larger issues in society and education. When we took office in 2024, our main goal was to reduce the country’s debt and improve economic conditions. Although 2025 was tough, we managed to stabilize the economy and handle the national budget. While working on economic recovery, the ongoing war in the Middle East has affected Sri Lanka. Many Sri Lankans working in the Middle East send money home, and their jobs are now at risk. Additionally, many tourists visit Sri Lanka through Middle Eastern airlines, and the closure of air routes has led to fewer visitors. There are also issues with fuel transportation that impact not just Sri Lanka, but many countries. If the conflict continues, it could have more effects on us, so we need to be prepared. We must manage the economy carefully and cut some expenses. Even though we can borrow money, we do not want to weaken the economy by relying on loans. We have started education reforms, and within that, we are focusing on improving preschool education. Currently, the establishment of preschools and early childhood development has not been organized well. Therefore, we need to regulate and standardize all preschools, which will be challenging. First, we will require all preschools to register formally. A teacher training curriculum is already in place. In addition, we will introduce a new preschool curriculum in 2027, train teachers accordingly, and set up a regulatory authority for preschools. A recognized curriculum has also been developed for preschool diploma courses. Moving forward, preschool teachers with these qualifications will get priority. We will gradually improve the professionalism of preschool teachers and create a proper salary structure for them.