The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has issued a new circular outlining special provisions for students seeking temporary placement in Advanced Level (A/L) classes in schools located in difficult districts. The new instructions, effective from October 10, 2025 , are in addition to the directives of the 2008/17 circular.
Temporary Placements for Difficult Districts
The circular, dated October 7, 2025 , permits students from schools in districts with better facilities to request a temporary attachment to a school in a difficult district for A/L studies. This change addresses requests based on several factors, including:
- Access to facilities
- Economic hardships
- Change of residence
- Student care/custody issues
- Lack of the desired subject stream in border schools
If the student meets the necessary qualifications, the request will be considered, and a temporary attachment will be granted.
The Ministry has identified 16 districts considered difficult, based on the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) annual handbook for first degree entrance. These districts are:
- Nuwara Eliya
- Hambantota
- Jaffna
- Kilinochchiya
- Mannar
- Mullaitivu
- Vavuniya
- Trincomalee
- Batticaloa (Maddakalappuwa)
- Ampara
- Puttalam
- Anuradhapura
- Polonnaruwa
- Badulla
- Monaragala
- Ratnapura
Key Conditions and Application Process
Crucially, the temporary attachment does not grant the student any legal right to be presented for university entrance from the temporarily attached school. The student’s permanent school will remain the district considered for university entrance, as per UGC regulations.
Other important conditions for temporary attachment include:
- The student must submit confirmation from the Principal of the difficult district school that they are qualified for the A/L subject stream and that a vacancy exists.
- Requests for subsequent transfers to other schools after receiving the temporary attachment will not be considered.
- Welfare facilities (e.g., uniforms, textbooks, stationery vouchers) will be provided by the permanent school.
- Students must submit their examination applications and appear for the A/L examination through their permanent school.
- Decisions regarding the required 80% attendance for the A/L examination will be made by the Principal of the permanent school.
- Students may only participate in competitions by representing their permanent school.
- During the temporary attachment period, the school’s Disciplinary Committee holds the authority for disciplinary decisions.
The temporary attachment must be approved either by the Provincial Director of Education (for transfers between two Provincial schools) or by the Secretary of the Ministry (for transfers involving a National School).
Admissions for Underage Students
The circular also addresses the admission of students who are below the specified age for A/L classes. Students who have completed Grade 11 education in a state, international, or private school and are only one year younger than the required age for Grade 12 admission may be granted admission, provided they meet the necessary subject qualifications.
However, the admission of underage students is permitted only if vacancies remain after admitting all students within the prescribed age limit, adhering to the priority criteria outlined in the 2008/17 circular. For the 2025 Grade 12 admission, students born between February 1, 2009, and January 31, 2010, may be considered if they are one year younger than the designated age range (February 1, 2008, to January 31, 2009).
The final decision on any issues arising from these instructions rests with the Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.
