Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has announced a prioritized teacher recruitment drive aimed at addressing staffing shortages in Sri Lanka's Northern, North Central, and Eastern provinces by the end of 2026.
The government plans to intensify efforts to fill teaching vacancies in three underserved provinces over the coming months. Speaking at a parliamentary meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education on Thursday, Prime Minister and Education Minister Harini Amarasuriya outlined the recruitment initiative as a response to ongoing teacher shortages affecting the Northern, North Central, and Eastern regions.
Beyond immediate staffing solutions, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of developing long-term strategies to prevent these shortages from recurring in these areas. She also directed ministry officials to accelerate school construction and infrastructure improvement projects currently underway in the three provinces, signaling a broader commitment to strengthening educational facilities across these regions.
The consultative committee meeting also reviewed progress from several subcommittees operating under its oversight, including divisions focused on human resource management and higher education policy. Officials presented certificates to newly appointed committee members tasked with recommending the establishment of a national Education Council. The meeting was attended by Deputy Ministers Madhura Seneviratne and Nalin Hewage, along with members of parliament and senior education ministry officials including Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa.
