Government to Recruit 23,000 Teachers In 2026, says Prime Minister

COLOMBO (News 1st): Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya says the government expects to recruit 23,000 teachers this year, in what she described as the largest teacher recruitment drive in the country’s history.

The Prime Minister made the announcement while attending the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new three-storey classroom building at Habarana Maha Vidyalaya.

She said the government recognises the importance of education and is giving the sector significant attention through increased investment, sound policymaking and efforts to strengthen both human and physical resources.

Dr. Amarasuriya stressed that students should receive equal consideration regardless of whether they attend national or provincial schools, noting that they follow the same curriculum and sit the same examinations.

She also said new subjects, including entrepreneurship and financial literacy, had been introduced to help students better understand and address the country’s economic and social challenges.

The Prime Minister added that education should go beyond preparing students to excel in examinations. She said it should also focus on nurturing responsible citizens who help others, protect the environment and actively participate in the country’s democratic process.