New education reforms will increase burden on students: Stalin

Colombo, July 20 (Daily Mirror) - The upcoming education reforms set to be launched in 2026 will further increase the burden on students, Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.

He told the media that all education unions have consistently called for reforms, as the current system has become too overwhelming for students.

"While a reform is urgently needed, what the government is now introducing is not new," he said. "These reforms have been circulating since 2018. Rather than genuine change, the government is repackaging old policies and presenting them as new reforms."

He also criticized the government for failing to consult relevant stakeholders, such as education experts and teachers’ unions, before implementing changes.

"For instance, the decision to extend school hours from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. was made without any consultation. Traditionally, such decisions are based on advice from educational psychologists and child development experts, considering students’ capacity to cope," Stalin noted.

He further alleged that the proposed reforms were originally introduced under the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration and were rejected at the time. “Now, parts of those same reforms are being reintroduced under a different label,” he said.

Stalin also pointed out other pressing issues in the education system, including a shortage of qualified teachers, which he claims fuels the growing tuition culture.

"While we do need a meaningful education reform one that fosters entrepreneurship and addresses current needs the government must base it on research and proper consultation. Instead, what we see is the recycling of outdated policies," he added.