The Education System in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, although a third world country, has a 92% literacy rate, one of the highest rates in South Asia. Education in Sri Lanka is administered by three separate ministries, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education, and Ministry of Education Services. The Ministry of Education is in charge of schools, Teachers Training Colleges and Colleges of Education and even the pirivenas, the schools for Buddhist priests. The Ministry of Higher Education supervises Universities and Technical Colleges. The Ministry of Education Services supplies the facilities required for general education.

The structure of education in Sri Lanka is divided into five parts namely: primary, junior secondary, senior secondary, collegiate and tertiary. Primary education is from Grade 1 to Grade 5, junior secondary level is from Grade 6 to Grade 9, senior secondary level is only two years which is from Grade 10 to Grade 11. As provided by the law, it is compulsory to attend up to at least Grade 9 and after that students may opt for an apprenticeship on a skilled job or become a farmer. For those who want to enroll in a college program, a 2 year preparatory course to obtain a General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level, which is from Grades 10 to 11, and another 2-year preparatory course for a General Certificate of Education Advanced Level, Grades 12 to 13 are strictly needed to be completed.

Basically, most schools are government-run and free. National Schools which are considered the better schools are those funded directly by the Ministry of Education while the Provincial schools are run by local governments. There are about 9,829 government-sponsored schools and only 66 private schools in Sri Lanka.