$400 million ADB loan for secondary education reforms

Sri Lanka has received approval for a USD 400 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support the transformation of Sri Lanka's secondary education system to align with the demand for highly skilled and agile workers who can compete in a rapidly changing global economy.

Sri Lanka aspires to be an advanced knowledge economy and has targeted education and skilled labor as national priorities.

The Secondary Education Sector Improvement Program will support reforms under the government’s General Education Sector Development Plan, 2020–2025, particularly on upper secondary education. The program will benefit about 953,000 students annually, with skills that will benefit successive generations of students.

The program will equip the young population with knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and commerce, which are fields of high economic relevance for Sri Lanka.

It will enhance readiness for further education in STEM fields and foster competencies for higher productivity and adaptability.

To achieve this, the program will reform the curricula, instruction, and assessment systems to focus on practical application of knowledge and integrate cognitive and socio-emotional skills ADB said .

The program also focuses on improving teaching quality and teacher training given the importance of quality of teaching and method of instruction on learning.

 More than 47,000 upper secondary education teachers will be trained on inquiry-based and interactive learning approaches to increase student interest and engagement with subject content and inspire a love of learning.

“A knowledgeable, agile, and skilled workforce that can leverage technology transfers and steer innovations could support Sri Lanka’s economic diversification and put Sri Lanka on a higher growth path,” said ADB Principal Social Sector Specialist for South Asia Uzma Hoque.

“The aim is to equip students with market-relevant skills and foster competencies that allow them to think critically, apply what they learn and adapt, which are key traits needed to survive and thrive in the modern world of work.”

Learnings from the current situation under the COVID-19 pandemic will be turned into an opportunity for reforms.

The curricula and pedagogy will introduce innovative technology-based teaching and learning approaches and multiple modes of delivery of education to build resilience against future emergencies.