• Education Ministry notes there’s no possibility of stopping reforms now
• Around 100,000 teachers have already completed training, and all teachers are expected to be trained by 31 Dec.

In the wake of opposition from certain teachers’ trade unions to parts of the upcoming education reforms, including the proposed extension of school hours, the Ministry of Education stated there is no possibility of stopping the reform process, as preparations are now in the final stage.

Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa told The Daily Morning that all major requirements for the reform rollout have been completed: “The education reform process cannot be stopped. Everything is ready now. Modules have been printed, teachers have been trained. Around 100,000 teachers have already completed their training, and all teachers are expected to be trained by 31 December.”

He added that certain issues are likely to arise during the implementation phase, but that the ministry intends to address them as they come: “Various problems will arise when these are implemented, but we hope to resolve them at that time.”

Tensions between several unions and the ministry escalated after the decision to extend school hours until 2 p.m. from next year under the proposed education reforms. Groups such as the Ceylon Teachers’ Union have opposed the change, demanding that any required reforms be carried out within the existing 7.30 a.m.-1.30 p.m. timetable.

Kaluwewa, on an earlier occasion, said that the ministry was only implementing reforms designed by the National Institute of Education (NIE), which holds the technical expertise in the area. He explained that the NIE had initially proposed extending each period to one hour, but the ministry had requested it be reduced to 50 minutes for practical reasons. If each period is 50 minutes long, he said that school hours must be extended until 2 p.m.