Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the dignity, welfare and professional rights of teachers, announcing plans to recruit over 23,000 new graduates into the national teaching service. Addressing the “Guru Pratibha Prabha – 2026” National Teacher and Principal Commendation Ceremony at Ananda College, Colombo, to mark World Teachers’ Day on October 6, the Prime Minister outlined key state initiatives aimed at resolving long standing issues in the country’s education sector. Dr. Amarasuriya emphasized that despite financial constraints, the government will move forward with raising teacher salaries and protecting their professional status. She announced the setup of a proposed National Education Council designed to address key professional grievances and systematically streamline administrative challenges faced by educators. She noted that the core objective of education must be to raise compassionate human beings who care for society and the environment. In a world where human relationships are increasingly commercialized through social media, a teacher’s primary duty is to instill moral and human values in children, as a single word from a teacher possesses immense power to heal or mentally break a child. She added that the ongoing five pillar education reform initiative, which commenced at the Grade One level in 2026, will continue to evolve by actively consulting teachers and incorporating their feedback. The national awards ceremony recognized exceptional contributions across all educational zones in Sri Lanka under three primary categories, awarding 71 school principals as ‘Principal of the Year’, 62 educators as ‘Teacher of the Year’, and presenting honors to winning schools under the first phase of the ‘Excellence Practice Awards’. Also speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Madhura Seneviratne, detailed plans to enhance job satisfaction among educators. He noted that the proposed Education Council will facilitate continuous professional development, creating a clear pathway within the system for talented teachers to advance without administrative hurdles. (Newswire) The post Govt. to recruit over 23,000 graduates to national teaching service: PM appeared first on Newswire.
