Most schools to reopen on Dec 16; 147 remain closed due to disaster impact
– The Education Ministry has announced that all schools across the country except those affected by recent disaster conditions will reopen on December 16, following a review of the prevailing situation.The decision was confirmed by Nalaka Kaluwewa, Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.
Addressing the media, Kaluwewa said that schools in the Western, Southern, Northern, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, and North Central Provinces will resume academic activities on December 16.Out of 10,076 schools nationwide, 9,929 are scheduled to reopen, while 147 schools remain unsuitable for reopening due to severe flood- and landslide-related damage. He added that updated information will be issued regularly as further confirmation is received from provincial authorities.
In the Uva Province, 26 schools will remain closed, including:
5 schools in the Welimada Zone
3 in the Bandarawela Zone
7 in the Badulla Zone
5 in the Passara Zone
6 in the Viyaluwa Zone
In the North Western Province, six schools—one in the Maho Zone and five in the Ibbagamuwa Zone—will not reopen on December 16.
The Central Province has the highest number of closures, with 115 schools remaining shut. These include:
4 schools in the Kandy Zone
8 in the Denuwara Zone
8 in the Gampola Zone
15 in the Hanguranketha Zone
17 in the Kotmale Zone
38 in the Matale Zone
3 in the Naula Zone
15 in the Nuwara Eliya Zone
The ministry will issue an official circular today detailing the reopening schedule, taking into account the current situation.
Kaluwewa also announced that the second phase of the third school term for 2025 will run from December 16 to December 22, and after the Christmas break, schooling will resume from December 29 to December 31, while Muslim schools will continue until January 2, 2026.