Sri Lanka to integrate sports into school curriculum as essential development tool

School sports are to become a core component of Sri Lanka’s school curriculum under upcoming national education reforms.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya announced the policy shift during the closing ceremony of the 40th All Island Schools Games held at the Diyagama Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium on Tuesday.

She explained that the government intends to shift sports away from being treated as a secondary extracurricular option and integrate physical activity as a fundamental pillar of child development.

The strategy focuses on building physical and mental well-being alongside academic learning to cultivate diverse talents across the island.

Highlighting the importance of grass-roots infrastructure, the Prime Minister noted that many young athletes currently excel despite lacking basic training grounds and tracks at their schools.

She pointed out that past international sporting figures including Sriyani Kulawansa and Sugath Thilakaratne first demonstrated their potential at the school level.

According to the Prime Minister, engaging in sports teaches students resilience, teamwork, and how to bounce back from failure rather than focusing solely on winning medals.

The four-day national event brought together more than 3,500 young competitors from across the country, resulting in 23 new meet records.

Western Province secured the overall provincial championship title at the games.

St. Joseph Vaz College in Wennappuwa took the boys’ overall championship, while Lyceum International School in Wattala claimed the girls’ overall title.

The proposed reforms aim to ensure systematically identified sporting talent receives early support and adequate facilities to progress from school competitions to international arenas.