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Minister of Education (Sri Lanka)

{{Short description|Sri Lankan cabinet minister}}

{{more citations needed|date=March 2016}}

{{Infobox political post

| post = Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

| body = Sri Lanka

| native_name = {{lang|si|අධ්‍යාපන, උසස් අධ්‍යාපන සහ වෘත්තීය අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍ය}}
{{lang|ta|கல்வி, உயர்கல்வி மற்றும் தொழிற்கல்வி அமைச்சர்}}

| insignia = Emblem of Sri Lanka.svg

| insigniasize = 70px

| insigniacaption = Emblem of Sri Lanka

| department = Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

| reports_to =

| image =

| imagesize = 150px

| alt =

| incumbent = Harini Amarasuriya

| incumbentsince = 24 September 2024

| style =

| residence =

| nominator =

| nominatorpost =

| appointer = The President with advice of Prime Minister

| termlength =

| inaugural = C. W. W. Kannangara (as Chairman of Executive Committee on Education)
E. A. Nugawela (as Minister of Education)

| formation = {{Start date and age|1947|9|26}}

| succession =

| deputy =

| salary =

| allegiance =

| commands =

| website = [http://www.moe.gov.lk/ Ministry of Education]

}}

The Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education{{cite web|url=http://documents.gov.lk/files/egz/2022/5/2281-41_E.pdf|title=Extra Gazette No. 2281/41 of 27.05.2022 (Duties and Functions)|website=documents.gov.lk|accessdate=2022-06-10}} ({{langx|si|අධ්‍යාපන, උසස් අධ්‍යාපන සහ වෘත්තීය අධ්‍යාපන අමාත්‍ය}}; {{langx|ta|கல்வி, உயர்கல்வி மற்றும் தொழிற்கல்வி அமைச்சர்}}) is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka.

Cabinet Ministers

;Parties

{{legend2|{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}|Sri Lanka Freedom Party|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend2|{{party color|United National Party}}|United National Party|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend2|{{party color|Sinhala Bhasa Peramuna}}|Sinhala Language Front|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend2|{{party color|Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}|Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend2|{{party color|Mahajana Eksath Peramuna}}|Mahajana Eksath Peramuna|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{{legend2|{{party color|National People's Power}}|National People's Power|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Portrait

! rowspan="2" style="width:17em" |Minister
{{small|(Birth-Death)
Constituency}}

! colspan="3" |Term of office

! rowspan="2" style="width:8em" |Political party

! rowspan="2"| Ministry

! rowspan="2" style="width:9em" |Head of Government

style="width:7em"| From

!style="width:7em"| To

!style="width:6em"| Period

colspan="10"| Chairman of the Executive Committee on Education
rowspan="1"| -

|

| 70px

| C. W. W. Kannangara
සී.ඩබ්ලිව්.ඩබ්ලිව්.කන්නන්ගර
{{small|(1884{{ndash}}1969)
MP for Galle District}}

|7 July
1931

|24 September
1947

| {{ayd|7 July 1931|24 September 1947}}

| -

|First Board of Ministers
Second Board of Ministers

|D. B. Jayatilaka
D. S. Senanayake

colspan="10"| Minister of Education
rowspan="2"| 1

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|rowspan="2"|

|rowspan="2"| {{small|Major}}
E. A. Nugawela {{post-nominals|country=GBR|ED}}
ඊ.ඒ.නුගවෙල
{{small|(1898{{ndash}}1972)
MP for Kadugannawa District}}

|24 September
1947

|22 March
1952

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|24 September 1947|19 June 1952}}

|rowspan="4"| United National Party

|{{party shading/United National Party}}| Don Stephen

|D. S. Senanayake

22 March
1952

|19 June
1952

|rowspan="2" {{party shading/United National Party}}| Dudley I

|rowspan="2"| Dudley Senanayake

rowspan="2"| 2

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|rowspan="2"|

|rowspan="2"| M. D. Banda
එම්.ඩී.බණ්ඩා
{{small|(1914{{ndash}}1974)
MP for Maturata District}}

|19 June
1952

|12 October
1953

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|19 Jun 1952|12 April 1956}}

12 October
1953

|12 April
1956

|{{party shading/United National Party}}| Kotelawala

|Sir John Kotelawala

rowspan="2"| 3

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|rowspan="2"| 70px

|rowspan="2"| Wijeyananda Dahanayake
විජයානන්ද දහනායක
{{small|(1902{{ndash}}1997)
MP for Galle District}}
(Prime Minister from
26 September 1959)

|12 April
1956

|26 September
1959

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|12 Apr 1956|20 Mar 1960}}

|rowspan="2"| Sri Lanka Freedom Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Solomon

|S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike

26 September
1959

|20 March
1960

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Dahanayake

|Self

colspan="10"| Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs
4

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|

|Bernard Aluwihare
බර්නාඩ් අලුවිහාරේ
{{small|(1902{{ndash}}1961)
MP for Matale District}}

|21 March
1960

|21 July
1960

|{{ayd|21 Mar 1960|21 Jul 1960}}

|United National Party

|{{party shading/United National Party}}| Dudley II

|Dudley Senanayake

colspan="10"| Minister of Education and Broadcasting
5

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|

|{{small|Deshamanya}}
Badi-ud-din Mahmud
බදි-උද්-දින් මහමුද්
{{small|(1904{{ndash}}1997)}}

|23 July
1960

|28 May
1963

|{{ayd|23 July 1960|28 May 1963}}

|Sri Lanka Freedom Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Sirimavo I

|Sirimavo Bandaranaike

colspan="10"| Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs
5

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|

|P. B. G. Kalugalla
පී බී ජී කළුගල්ල
{{small|(1920{{ndash}}2007)
MP for Kegalle District}}

|28 May
1963

|25 March
1965

|{{ayd|28 May 1963|25 Mar 1965}}

|Sri Lanka Freedom Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Sirimavo I

|Sirimavo Bandaranaike

6

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|

|I. M. R. A. Iriyagolle
අයි.එම්.ආර්.ඒ.ඊරියගොල්ලේ
{{small|(1907{{ndash}}1973)
MP for Kuliyapitiya District}}

|25 March
1965

|29 May
1970

|{{ayd|25 Mar 1965|29 May 1970}}

|United National Party

|{{party shading/United National Party}}| Dudley III

|Dudley Senanayake

colspan="10"| Minister of Education
(5)

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|

|{{small|Deshamanya}}
Badi-ud-din Mahmud
බදි-උද්-දින් මහමුද්
{{small|(1904{{ndash}}1997)
Appointed MP}}

|29 May
1970

|23 July
1977

|{{ayd|29 May 1970|23 Jul 1977}}

|Sri Lanka Freedom Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Sirimavo II

|Sirimavo Bandaranaike

7

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|70px

|{{small|Deshamanya}}
Nissanka Wijeyeratne
නිශ්ශංක පරාක්‍රම විජයරත්න
{{small|(1924{{ndash}}2007)
MP for Dedigama District}}

|23 July
1977

|14 February
1980

|{{ayd|23 Jul 1977|14 Feb 1980}}

|rowspan="3"| United National Party

|rowspan="2" {{party shading/United National Party}}| Jayewardene

|rowspan="2"| J. R. Jayewardene

rowspan="2"| 8

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|rowspan="2"| 70px

|rowspan="2"| Ranil Wickremesinghe
රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ
{{small|(born 1949)
MP for Biyagama District}}

|14 February
1980

|2 January
1989

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|14 Feb 1980|14 Feb 1989}}

2 January
1989

|14 February
1989

|{{party shading/United National Party}}| Premadasa

|Ranasinghe Premadasa

colspan="10"| Minister of Education, Cultural Affairs and Information
9

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|70px

|W. J. M. Lokubandara
වි. ජ. මු. ලොකුබණ්ඩාර
{{small|(1941{{ndash}}2021)
MP for Badulla District}}

|18 February
1989

|28 March
1990

|{{ayd|18 February 1989|28 March 1990}}

|United National Party

|{{party shading/United National Party}}| Premadasa

|Ranasinghe Premadasa

colspan="10"| Minister of Education and Higher Education
10

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|70px

|Lalith Athulathmudali
ලලිත් ඇතුලත්මුදලි
{{small|(1936{{ndash}}1993)
MP for Colombo District}}

|30 March
1990

|30 August
1991

|{{ayd|30 Mar 1990|30 Aug 1991}}

|rowspan="2"| United National Party

|{{party shading/United National Party}}| Premadasa

|Ranasinghe Premadasa

(9)

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|70px

|W. J. M. Lokubandara
වි. ජ. මු. ලොකුබණ්ඩාර
{{small|(1941{{ndash}}2021)
MP for Badulla District}}

|12 August
1993

|15 August
1994

|{{ayd|12 Aug 1993|15 Aug 1994}}

|rowspan="2" {{party shading/United National Party}}| Wijetunga

|rowspan="2"| Dingiri Banda Wijetunga

rowspan="2"| 11

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|rowspan="2"|

|rowspan="2"| Richard Pathirana
රිචඩ් පතිරණ
{{small|(1938{{ndash}}2008)
MP for Galle District}}

|19 August
1994

|12 November
1994

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|19 Aug 1994|19 Oct 2000}}

|rowspan="2"| Sri Lanka Freedom Party

12 November
1994

|19 October
2000

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Kumaratunga

|Chandrika Kumaratunga

colspan="10"| Minister of Education
12

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|70px

|Susil Premajayantha
සුසිල් ප්‍රේමජයන්ත
{{small|(born 1955)
MP for Colombo District}}

|19 October
2000

|14 September
2001

|{{ayd|19 Oct 2000|14 Sep 2001}}

|Sri Lanka Freedom Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Kumaratunga

|Chandrika Kumaratunga

colspan="10"| Minister of Education and Higher Education
13

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|70px

|Sarath Amunugama
සරත් ලීලානන්ද බණඩාර අමුනුගම
{{small|(born 1939)
MP for Kandy District}}

|14 September
2001

|10 October
2001

|{{ayd|14 Sep 2001|10 Oct 2001}}

|Sri Lanka Freedom Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Kumaratunga

|Chandrika Kumaratunga

colspan="10"| Minister of Human Resources, Education and Culture
14

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|70px

|Karunasena Kodituwakku
කරුණාසේන කොඩිතුවක්කු
{{small|(born 1945)
MP for Colombo District}}

|12 December
2001

|7 February
2004

|{{ayd|12 December 2001|7 February 2004}}

|United National Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Kumaratunga

|Chandrika Kumaratunga

colspan="10"| Minister of Education
15

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|70px

|Chandrika Kumaratunga
චන්ද්‍රිකා බණ්ඩාරනායක
{{small|(born 1945)}}
(President)

|10 April
2004

|19 November
2005

|{{ayd|10 April 2004|19 Nov 2005}}

|rowspan="3"| Sri Lanka Freedom Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Kumaratunga

|Chandrika Kumaratunga

(12)

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|70px

|Susil Premajayantha
සුසිල් ප්‍රේමජයන්ත
{{small|(born 1955)
MP for Colombo District}}

|23 November
2005

|23 April
2010

|{{ayd|23 Nov 2005|23 Apr 2010}}

|rowspan="2" {{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Mahinda

|rowspan="2"| Mahinda Rajapaksa

16

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}"|

|70px

|Bandula Gunawardane
බන්දුල ගුණවර්ධන
{{small|(born 1953)
MP for Colombo District}}

|23 April
2010

|12 January
2015

|{{ayd|23 April 2010|12 January 2015}}

rowspan="2"| 17

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|rowspan="2"|

|rowspan="2"| Akila Viraj Kariyawasam
අකිල විරාජ් කාරියවසම්
{{small|(born 1973)
MP for Kurunegala}}

|rowspan="2"| 12 January
2015

|rowspan="2"| 26 October
2018

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|12 January 2015|26 October 2018}}

|rowspan="2"| United National Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Sirisena I

|rowspan="2"| Maithripala Sirisena

{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Sirisena II
colspan="10"| Minister of Education and Higher Education
18

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|70px

|Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
විජයදාස රාජපක්ෂ
{{small|(born 1959)
MP for Colombo District}}

|29 October
2018

|15 December
2018

|{{ayd|29 Oct 2018|15 Dec 2018}}

|United National Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Sirisena III

|Maithripala Sirisena

colspan="10"| Minister of Education
(17)

|bgcolor="{{party color|United National Party}}"|

|

|Akila Viraj Kariyawasam
අකිල විරාජ් කාරියවසම්
{{small|(born 1973)
MP for Kurunegala}}

|20 December
2018

|21 November
2019

|{{ayd|20 Dec 2018|21 Nov 2019}}

|United National Party

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Freedom Party}}| Sirisena IV

|Maithripala Sirisena

18

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}"|

|70px

|Dullas Alahapperuma
ඩලස් අලහප්පෙරුම
{{small|(born 1959)
MP for Matara District}}

|22 November
2019

|12 August
2020

|{{ayd|22 Nov 2019|12 Aug 2020}}

|rowspan="2"| Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}| Gotabaya I

|rowspan="5"| Gotabaya Rajapaksa

19

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}"|

|70px

|G. L. Peiris
ගාමිණී ලක්ශ්මන් පීරිස්
{{small|(born 1946)
National List MP}}

|12 August
2020

|16 August
2021

|{{ayd|12 Aug 2020|16 Aug 2021}}

|rowspan="2" {{party shading/Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}| Gotabaya II

20

|bgcolor="{{party color|Mahajana Eksath Peramuna}}"|

|70px

|Dinesh Gunawardena
දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන
{{small|(born 1949)
MP for Colombo District}}

|16 August
2021

|18 April
2022

|{{ayd|16 Aug 2021|18 Apr 2022}}

|Mahajana Eksath Peramuna

21

|bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}"|

|

|Ramesh Pathirana
රමේෂ් පතිරණ
{{small|(born 1969)
MP for Galle District}}

|18 April
2022

|9 May
2022

|{{ayd|18 Apr 2022|9 May 2022}}

|rowspan="3"| Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}| Gotabaya III

rowspan="2"| 22

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}"|

|rowspan="2"| 70px

|rowspan="2"| Susil Premajayantha
සුසිල් ප්‍රේමජයන්ත
{{small|(born 1955)
MP for Colombo District}}

|rowspan="2"| 20 May
2022

|rowspan="2"| 23 September 2024

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|20 May 2022|23 September 2024}}

|{{party shading/Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna}}"| Gotabaya IV

{{party shading/United National Party}}| Wickremesinghe

|Ranil Wickremesinghe

colspan="10"| Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education
rowspan="2"| 23

|rowspan="2" bgcolor="{{party color|National People's Power}}"|

|rowspan="2"|

|rowspan="2"| Harini Amarasuriya
හරිනි අමරසූරිය
{{small|(born 1970)
MP for Colombo District}}

|rowspan="2"| 24 September
2024

|rowspan="2"| Incumbent

|rowspan="2"| {{ayd|24 September 2024}}

|rowspan="2"|National People's Power

|{{party shading/National People's Power}}| Dissanayake I

|rowspan="2"|Anura Kumara Dissanayake

{{party shading/National People's Power}}| Dissanayake II

See also

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.moe.gov.lk/ Ministry of Education]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20150810070644/http://www.priu.gov.lk/ Government of Sri Lanka]

{{Sri Lankan Education ministers}}

{{Ministries of Sri Lanka}}

Education

Category:Members of the Board of Ministers of Ceylon