Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya announced that the government is working with the Public Service Commission to formalise and systematise the process of appointing school principals, moving beyond academic qualifications alone.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament that the appointment procedure for school principals will be reformed to address its long-standing lack of systematic structure. Speaking in response to questions from Member of Parliament Ruwan Wijeweera, she indicated that discussions with the Public Service Commission are underway to review and revise the existing framework.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that current practice has relied too heavily on educational credentials while neglecting other relevant factors. She confirmed that the government recognises the need to incorporate performance-related qualifications and other merit-based considerations into the selection process. As part of broader education reforms under the Human Resource Management pillar, the Ministry of Education is currently reviewing existing procedures and relevant circulars to implement necessary changes.
Capacity building for school leaders is also a priority. The government is running various training programmes aimed at improving principal effectiveness, and plans to introduce a more comprehensive systematic capacity enhancement programme. Additionally, a new institutional strengthening initiative through the National Institute of Education is scheduled for rollout in 2027.
Addressing unrelated parliamentary matters, the Prime Minister firmly rejected claims made by an Opposition Member on August 19 suggesting that teachers would not receive salaries. She stated that no such issue exists and that teacher salary payments continue to be processed on schedule and without delays.
