COLOMBO – More than 3,000 Sri Lankan schools are operating with fewer than 10 teachers each, data released Thursday by the country’s Department of Census and Statistics shows.
According to the data, 3,126 schools, including one national school, function with fewer than 10 teachers. An additional 4,263 schools have between 10 and 25 teachers, indicating that most institutions run with limited staff.
The data also reveals disparities in school size. While 1,576 schools have fewer than 50 students, 36 schools each accommodate more than 4,000 students. There are nearly 3.82 million students in state-run schools around the country.
In response to existing vacancies, the government has invited applications from graduates to join the Sri Lanka teachers’ service in Sinhala, Tamil and English mediums at national and provincial schools.