Professional Development of Education Administrative Service officers in Sri Lanka

This study aimed to investigate the professional development of Sri Lanka Education Administrative Officers. Although several plans and programmes are prepared for optimistic professionalism, still they face difficulties in acquiring effective and well-thought-out professional development opportunities locally and internationally. According to the research problem which was intended to investigate in this study Mixed Method was employed as the main research methodology, and a survey approach and a case study approach were used for studying this research problem. Questionnaires, document surveys, and interviews were employed to gather information from the participants in this study. The participants of this study were the SLEAS officers who represent the open batches and the limited batches of SLEAS for the last thirty years. The researcher selected probability as well as non-probability sampling techniques to select the participants for this study. In order to analyse the qualitative data, thematic analysis was used. It was revealed that currently the newly recruited SLEAS officers are provided in-service training. However, some of the officers have not undertaken pre-service training focusing on the activities of the principal position before their appointment. But such training has been provided to the newly recruited SLEAS officers, not to the principals. According to the responses of most of the participants, currently, there are no such strategies used to identify the training needs of principals. It was revealed that the foreign training opportunities provided to the SLEAS officers and principals are not sufficient, only a few training opportunities are available for officers. There is no transparency mechanism to select officers for foreign training programmes. Some officers are provided opportunities to get foreign training several times. According to the information provided by the participants during the interviewing process and questionnaire survey, the majority of them recommend improving the mechanisms, activities, selection, quality, and other related aspects of training and professional development of principals, and SLEAS officers. As they perceive the existing situation, mechanisms, organization, the quality of the training and professional development of principals and SLEAS officers need to be improved immediately.