How to become a teacher in Sri Lanka?

A teacher (school teacher or  an educator) is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competences or values.  Normally, a teacher has some kind of higher education in the topic, eg. an university degree. However, you can also become a teacher by attending courses to receive a certificate such as from College of Teaching that qualifies them as a teachers. 

Primary and Secondary Education

You can teach different levels of students:

• Early Childhood or Montessori Teachers 
• Primary Teachers (Grade 1 to Grade 5 – Up to Scholarship examination)
• Secondary Teachers (Grade 6 to Grade 11 – up to O/L examination)
• High School Teachers (Grade 12 and Grade 13 – Up to A/L Examination

Teaching in different types of Schools

You can find teaching jobs in

• National Schools
• Provincial Schools
• Pirivenas-Schools for Buddhist priests
• Private Schools
• International Schools
• Self employed as a Tuition teacher or conducting a  Montessori school 

You can become a teacher in Sinhala medium, Tamil medium or in English Medium.

Five ways to become a Teacher in Sri Lanka

1. Government School Teacher -

You can become a Government School Teacher by joining National Colleges of Education (Vidya Peeta). These colleges conduct Three Year Pre-Service Professional Course in Teacher Education. You need three passes in one sitting at the G.C.E. (A/L) Examination and Credit passes in some GCE O/L subjects to apply these courses.

2. Graduate Teacher in Government Schools -

If you have a degree from a recognized University then Ministry of Education and Provincial Councils offer teaching jobs for graduates. Graduate teaches teach GCE A/L classes in Science and Mathematics (Biology/ Combined Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry), Commerce, Arts or Technology streams. 

3. Teacher at International School or Private school

If you have necessary qualification and ability, then you can apply for a teaching job at a Private School in Sri Lanka or at International School (which teach for International Exams such as Cambridge O/L, A/L). Principals of each school can recruit teachers for these schools, so you can apply directly to these Schools. Usually you should have good subject knowledge as wells a English knowledge to enter these teaching jobs as medium of Instruction is English. 

4. Become a Tuition Teacher

You can start a Private Tuition class and become a teacher easily. You can conduct tuition classes for Grade 5 scholarship examination, O/L and A/L exams. You need to know the subject, questions patterns in the exam and should be able to teach well. You can start individual classes by putting an advertisement in local papers, websites, conduct group classes or conduct classes in many Tuition Institutes/ Centers in Sri Lanka. 

5. Montessori Teacher

You can join a Montessori Training Institute  to qualify as a capable Montessori teacher, or you can start your own Montessori School. 

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