The Education Ministry has confirmed that the Government has neither taken a decision nor made any move to regulate private tuition classes, saying its focus instead remains on improving the professionalism of school teachers, which could in turn reduce students’ dependence on tuition.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Deputy Education Minister Dr. Madhura Senevirathna said that tuition classes fell beyond the Government’s regulatory reach.

“There is no policy decision taken by the Government, despite widespread news suggesting otherwise. Tuition classes are private institutes that are not registered anywhere, so we cannot regulate them. They are not Government institutions, nor are they affiliated with the Government,” he said.

Dr. Senevirathna explained that the Government’s plan was instead to enhance the professionalism and ethical standards of Government school teachers.

He added that there were proposals to establish a National Education Council, which would be granted the authority and provisions to make decisions regarding professionalism across the entire Government education service.

Following the announcement of the proposed Council, various parties had claimed that it would be used to regulate tuition, make obtaining a licence mandatory for teaching, and require a degree for school teachers.

He dismissed these claims as misinterpretations of the intended role of the proposed Council.