Sri Lanka's Education Ministry has announced the official school term schedule for 2027, with the academic year beginning in early January and varying arrangements for different school categories.
The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has released the comprehensive school calendar for 2027 through Circular No. 31/2026, setting out term dates, public holidays, and examination schedules for government and government-approved private schools, as well as Pirivenas.
Government and approved private schools are scheduled to operate for a total of 197 days during 2027, with this figure accounting for public holidays and examination periods. The academic year will commence on January 4, 2027. However, the term arrangements differ depending on the school category. For Sinhala and Tamil schools, the first term runs from January 4 to April 9, followed by a second term from April 26 to July 30, and a third term from August 30 to December 3. Muslim schools operate under a different framework, with their first and second terms divided into several phases throughout the year.
The Ministry has also coordinated the national examination schedule with the school calendar. The G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination is set for August 2027, while the G.C.E. Ordinary Level Examination will take place in December 2027. Additionally, the circular specifies that should any scheduled school day be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, schools must conduct compensatory classes to make up for the lost instructional time.
