New NIE Director General assumes duties
April 20, 2026 06:03 pm
Senior Professor O. G. Dayaratna Banda has assumed duties as the 15th Director General of the National Institute of Education (NIE) Maharagama, with effect from today (April 20).
Prof. Dayaratna Banda is a senior academic with extensive experience in both local and international higher education and research. Prior to his appointment, he served as Senior Professor of Economics at the University of Peradeniya.
He has also held several key administrative positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Peradeniya from 2015 to 2021. In addition, he previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Management at the Uva Wellassa University.
An alumnus of the National University of Singapore, where he obtained his doctoral degree, he also holds a first-class honours degree in Financial Economics from the University of Peradeniya.
His academic career includes visiting research professorships at several international institutions, including the University of Waterloo. He has contributed extensively to the global academic community through numerous peer-reviewed publications and research works.
With research interests in applied macroeconomics, international trade, banking and finance and economic development, Prof. Dayaratna Banda is expected to play a key role in enhancing policy formulation and modernising teacher training frameworks in Sri Lanka’s education sector.
