The Council of Legal Education - Sri Lanka Law College

The Council of Legal Education (CLE) was established in 1873 and the Sri Lanka Law College was established under the CLE in 1874 in order to impart a formal legal  education to those who wished to be lawyers.

Admissions  

• Admission consequent to entrance  examination
• Admission of Law graduates of  Sri Lankan  and foreign Universities
• Admission of members of the legal profession of commonwealth countries

Piriven Education
The Piriven education has been in existence even during the time of Lord Buddha.  The  ‘Gira Sandeshaya’ mentions the piriven education of the Dambadeni and Kotte eras.  Ven. Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula thero  of   Vijeyaba Pirivena who knew six languages and Ven. Vidagama Mithreeya Thero  were from  Vidagama Danananda Pirivena.

The faded piriven education was reformed during the era of Velivita Sri Saranankara Thero at Niyamakanda Vidysthanaya in Kandy.  Later this was started in Pelmadulla and in Ratmalana. Ven Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thero who learnt from Rathmalana started the Vidyodaya Pirivena in Maligakanda in 1873.  In 1875 Ven Sammaloka Thero of Rattmalana  started the Halbarawa Vidyalankara Pirivena.  Today there are 640 centres for Piriven education.

Primary / Secondary Education
This education system has been formalized by the piriven act (Piriven Panatha) of 1979 and the list of orders of 1980 (Piriven Niyogamalawa).  The Piriven branch of the Ministry of Education has been  appointed  for its  administration. The pirivens consist of three main categories;

1. Primary piriven – From year one to year five. (394 institutes across the country)
2. Maha Piriven – Secondary education – From year one to five and six to twelve. (168 institutes )
3. Vidyayathana Piriven (45 institutes)

Through this institute Clergy and others too can get higher education and need to qualify at least up to year five. Education for postgraduate is also studies available.