The government has launched an initiative to allow children with special needs — including those with autism and other neurological conditions — to learn alongside their peers in mainstream pre-schools, moving away from the practice of educating them separately.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj announced the programme at a press conference at the Department of Government Information on Monday (July 13), held to mark National Early Childhood Week.
The minister said the government had decided to move away from segregating children with special needs, and that a new inclusive education programme has already begun in collaboration with the Department of Social Services. She stressed that activity-based learning under medical guidance, together with behavioural development support, is essential for these children, and that they should be able to grow and develop alongside other children rather than being isolated.
As an initial step, measures have been taken to train pre-school teachers in managing and supporting children with special needs, Paulraj said. Several leading specialised institutions in the private sector have extended significant support to the initiative.
The minister acknowledged that opportunities for children with special needs within the national early childhood education system remain limited, and said steps would be taken to expand the pre-school system to better serve them.
The launch follows a broader government push on inclusive education. In July, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya reaffirmed equal education access for children with special needs, describing them as “valuable human resources” rather than a burden.
