The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has announced that classes for students entering Grade 1 in 2026 will officially begin on January 20, 2026 (Tuesday). This applies to all Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim medium government schools as well as government-aided and non-government-aided private schools.
According to the Ministry, students selected for Grade 1 must be admitted to their respective schools before the commencement date. Schools have been instructed to organize a formal welcoming program on the same day to mark the beginning of the new academic journey.
The program is expected to include the following activities:
Welcoming the new Grade 1 students by Grade 2 pupils.
Hoisting of the national and school flags, and singing of the national and school anthems.
Welcoming parents and invited guests.
Educating parents on the objectives and goals of primary education reforms and the new Grade 1 curriculum.
Conducting the event in a manner that gives prominence to the new students.
The Ministry further emphasized that schools should ensure a smooth and pleasant experience for both students and parents, avoiding any inconvenience during the program. It has also recommended obtaining the support of all stakeholders, including the School Development Society and the Old Students’ Association, for the successful conduct of the event.
In addition, the Child Identification Program—titled “A Happy Start to Primary School”—developed under the new education reforms, will be conducted from January 2 to January 16, 2026 (excluding government holidays) following the guidelines issued by the National Institute of Education (NIE).
Teachers assigned to Grade 1 are advised to carry out the program flexibly for any students admitted after the completion of the identification program.
The Ministry stated that a circular containing detailed instructions has been distributed to Provincial Education Secretaries, Directors of Education, and Heads of all relevant schools.
