The National Educator Awards 2025 took place on November 26, 2025, at Monarch Imperial in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, celebrating outstanding educators from Sri Lanka’s higher and general education sectors. The event acknowledged their intellectual and innovative contributions and their commitment to enhancing educational standards for future generations in Sri Lanka.
The ceremony was attended by Chief Guest H.E. Mr. Semih Lütfü Turgut, the Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and Guest of Honour Prof. Kapila Seneviratne, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Designed to highlight impact and excellence within the education ecosystem, the National Educator Awards assessed academics in the higher education sector based on teaching performance, scholarly work, and national and international contributions. These evaluations were aligned with the criteria used for professor appointments in UGC-approved universities. In 2025, the recognition extended across a diverse range of disciplines, including Applied Sciences, Nursing and Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Psychology, Engineering, Language and Literature, Education, Computing, Law, and Business and Management.
Educators from the general education sector were evaluated on their impactful teaching, community engagement, and educational innovation, reflecting their crucial role in shaping learning outcomes and strengthening communities throughout the country.
A total of 15 award winners were recognized in the Higher Education category, selected from 35 applications. Meanwhile, 25 award winners were honored in the General Education category, representing all nine provinces, and selected from 166 applications. In the provincial category, three awardees were recognized per province, emphasizing a commitment to celebrating excellence beyond national-level recognition and ensuring provincial representation.
A standout moment of the ceremony was the presentation of the Lifetime Award to Prof. Sujatha Hewage for her longstanding contributions to the field of Chemistry and her service to the University of Colombo and the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon. This award honors an individual whose career embodies deep dedication to the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, with scholarship, teaching, and service that have made a lasting impact on the academic landscape.
The National Educator Awards 2025, with strong participation across categories and an increasing national profile, reinforced the significance of recognizing educators as key contributors to Sri Lanka’s human capital development and long-term progress.
