Education in Sri Lanka 🤓

 

​Sri Lanka provides free education to all students 

from primary school through to the university 

level.  The country maintains one of the highest 

literacy rates in South Asia, with over 92% of 

adults being able to read and write.  Schooling is 

compulsory for all children, typically starting at

age 5 and continuing until age 16.  The system is 

organized into primary, junior secondary, senior 

secondary, and collegiate levels.  Students sit for 

two major national exams: the G.C.E. Ordinary 

Level (O/L) and the Advanced Level (A/L).  Lessons 

are conducted in three main languages: Sinhala, 

Tamil, and English, depending on the school.

​In 2026, the government began introducing new 

reforms to focus more on practical skills and 

digital learning.  Most students wear a traditional

 white uniform, which is a iconic symbol of the Sri 

Lankan school system.