The National Educator Awards 2025, held on 26 November 2025 at Monarch Imperial, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, recognised exemplary educators from Sri Lanka’s  higher and general education sectors in appreciation of their intellectual and innovative contributions and their dedication to uplift the educational standards of Sri Lanka’s future generations.

The event was graced by the Chief Guest, H.E. Mr. Semih Lütfü Turgut, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and the Guest of Honour, Prof. Kapila Seneviratne, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Designed to spotlight impact and excellence across the education ecosystem, the National Educator Awards evaluates academics in the higher education sector based on teaching performance, scholarly work, and national and international contributions, using criteria aligned with those applied for professor appointments within UGC-approved universities. In 2025, recognition spanned a broad 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.

Teachers from the general education sector were assessed on their performance across impactful teaching, community engagement, and educational innovation, reflecting the vital role school educators play in shaping learning outcomes and strengthening communities across the country.

A total of 15 award winners were recognised across different disciplines in the Higher Education  category, selected from 35 applications, while 25 award winners were honoured from the General Education  category, representing all nine provinces, selected from 166 applications. In the provincial category, three awardees were recognised per province, underscoring a commitment to celebrating excellence beyond national-level visibility and ensuring province-wide representation.

A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Lifetime Award to Prof. Sujatha Hewage, in recognition of her longstanding contribution to the discipline of Chemistry, and her service to the University of Colombo and the Institute of Chemistry, Ceylon. The Lifetime Award is conferred on an individual whose career reflects 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 a growing national profile, reaffirmed the importance of recognizing educators as key builders of Sri Lanka’s human capital and long-term development.