The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has issued a circular instructing schools, colleges of education, Pirivenas and teacher training institutes to organise programmes during Vesak Week, in line with this year’s State Vesak Festival.
Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said the relevant programmes should be conducted from May 26 to June 2 to mark the period, the circular said. Vesak Day falls on May 30, 2026, and the State Vesak Festival is scheduled for May 27 at the Midellawala Ancient Temple in Thihagoda, Matara.
The festival is being organised by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs together with the Department of Buddhist Affairs.
The Education Ministry circular includes a proposed model plan and instructions for organising the activities. Institutions have been advised to adapt the programmes to suit their respective school environments.
The Vesak Week framework is the most extensive Buddhist observance the school system marks each year, and brings religious instruction, dansal, lantern-making and meditation activities into classroom time during the lead-up to the full moon poya. Schools that wish to coordinate their planning with district religious affairs offices have been asked to do so before the State Festival opening.
The circular comes alongside Public Health Inspectors’ Vesak dansal safety registration drive, which requires food-and-drink dansal organisers to register with their local PHI for hygiene clearance before the holiday weekend.
