Sri Lanka Standards (SLS) will be introduced for preschools and early childhood development centres in 2027, Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj said on Thursday.
She was speaking at a ministry review meeting on 2026 progress and targets for next year. The standards for preschools and childcare centres are being prepared with the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI).
The National Policy on Preschool Education is due to be implemented in the first half of 2027. The National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development is preparing it with the National Institute of Education.
The standards could affect parents choosing a preschool, as centres would be measured against a national benchmark.
The ministry also plans the next phase of the Step-Up Programme in 2027. It was launched this year with Clean Sri Lanka and the Health Promotion Bureau for preschool children.
