The National Institute of Education (NIE) has officially published the National Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework (ECECF) in all three national languages—English, Sinhala, and Tamil. This marks a significant milestone in strengthening Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Sri Lanka.
The newly released framework (First Edition – 2025) has been developed by the Department of Early Childhood Development and Primary Education, NIE, with technical and financial support from UNICEF Sri Lanka. It provides a comprehensive, research-based structure to guide preschools, early childhood development centres, and educators across the country.
Key Highlights of the New ECE Curriculum Framework
- Centers around holistic child development with six major learning areas:
Health & Physical Well-being, Social & Emotional Well-being, Language & Early Literacy, Numeracy, Environmental Exploration, and Creative Arts. - Based on global standards including ISCED Level 0 and aligned with Sri Lanka’s National Early Childhood Development Standards (ECDS).
- Integrates major child development theories (Piaget, Vygotsky, Erikson, Bronfenbrenner, Bandura).
- Emphasizes play-based learning, inclusivity, child-centered approaches, and smooth transition to primary education.
- Provides detailed learning outcomes for ages 3–4 and 4–5, along with guidance for teachers, assessment, and creating supportive learning environments.
- Includes structured guidance on parental engagement, community partnerships, and monitoring & evaluation at national and provincial levels.
The framework is now accessible in:
| English | Download PDF |
| Sinhala | Download PDF |
| Tamil | Download PDF |
