Health Ministry Secretary Dr Anil Jasinghe has highlighted the need for a more standardised system for early childhood education, saying that the Government and the relevant institutions have a responsibility to ensure proper care for children during this important stage of their development.
Addressing the media yesterday (23), Dr Jasinghe said that while Sri Lanka has a free and formal school education system from Grade One, early childhood education had largely developed through the private sector based on the abilities, needs and preferences of different individuals. “As a result, there is no common standard. While some pre-schools provide a very high standard, others may be well below the expected standards,” he said. Dr Jasinghe said that the Government's responsibility did not mean that it should take over and run all pre-schools, but that it should ensure fairness and proper care for children in this age group.
He said that international research had shown the importance of investing in early childhood development, referring to the economist James Joseph Heckman's research, which found that investment in early childhood development from birth to five years gives high economic returns.
He said that a survey conducted last year (in 2025) by the Health Promotion Bureau (HPB), the Colombo University and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in four provinces had highlighted several concerns. Around 1,100 children, their parents and pre-school teachers from 55 pre-schools took part in the survey. According to the survey, 64 per cent of children had more than 30 minutes of screen time a day, while around 32% slept for less than 10 to 11 hours a day. It also found that 43% of children ate their meals while looking at a screen, while around 80% brushed their teeth twice a day. Around 56% of those caring for children, including parents and pre-school caregivers, were found to lose their temper with children. Only 53% of fathers were closely involved in caring for their children.
Taking these concerns into consideration, the HPB, together with the UNICEF, has developed the 'National Programme for Preschool Health Promotion Setting Development', with the aim of improving the health and well-being of children in pre-schools. Dr Jasinghe said that the programme is intended to be implemented in all pre-schools. Clean Sri Lanka has also decided to support the programme. Meanwhile, Consultant Community Physician at the HPB, Dr Enoka Wickramasinghe said that the programme aims to create a safe and caring environment in pre-schools where children can develop healthy habits and receive love, care and positive early learning experiences.
She said that although many pre-schools are privately run, the Ministries of Education and Women and Child Affairs, together with the National Institute of Education, had developed a curriculum framework for early childhood development centres. “Every private or religious pre-school should provide early learning opportunities based on this curriculum framework,” she said. Dr Wickramasinghe said that Local Authorities should also register and regulate pre-schools operating. Legal action could be taken against pre-schools operating without registration, she added.