Task force for digital education transformation

Thursday, 5 June 2025 05:14 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Monday approved establishing a dedicated task force to drive the digital transformation of the country’s education sector.

The task force will be chaired by the Secretary to the Prime Minister and will include key officials such as the Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Ministry Secretary, Digital Economy Ministry Secretary, and representatives from other relevant sectors.

“The mandate of the task force is to formulate and implement a comprehensive and integrated strategy for digital education, aligning with ongoing national education reforms,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on Tuesday.

Despite Sri Lanka’s commendable progress in student enrolment and access to quality education, he said that the sector continues to grapple with significant challenges, a severe shortage of over 42,000 teachers and growing disparities in educational access, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

“These issues have intensified the demand for a systemic transformation of the education system,” he added.

Dr. Jayatissa said the Government acknowledges that many countries have made impactful strides in improving learning outcomes through digital innovation.

“Although we have initiated several digital education programs in the past, a lack of coordination and strategic direction has hindered their success. The newly established task force aims to bridge this gap by designing a structured, results-oriented digital education framework,” he said.

The proposal presented by Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, in her capacity as Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education Minister was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.