School Education System in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan students spend thirteen years of school education.

The government facilitates a free education system in Sri Lanka to improve the literacy rate of Sri Lankan citizens after gaining their freedom. According to the national education system, a child entered the school and starts education at the age of five. And after that, they continue it along 5 years of primary education and face a scholarship exam at the age of ten to evaluate their skills. 

After facing that exam some students change their schools and enter a secondary-level education. In grade 11 they are facing ordinary level exams which are very important for their further studies. 

Choosing a stream to study in Advanced level classes is depend on the student's OL results and their dreams. Based on the Advanced level exam result the government decided which university they can apply  for their higher education.

So until the students sit for ordinary level exams, they have to study nine subjects, among them three subjects are elective. But Science, English, Religion, Sinhala, (native language), Mathematics, and History, subjects are compulsory to learn. All these subjects contain a large syllabus to cover.

The government conducted schools in different languages. Since this is a multicultural society conducting different language schools was easier for other native groups to have an education. So the schools are conducting in all three main languages such as Sinhala, Tamil, and English.

In Sri Lanka for ages people have started International schools with different syllabus and fully English medium classes. Not like in government schools they gave priority to the English language. After ages with the success of international schools, the government started English medium classes in the schools. Until then, the students learned English as a second language in schools.