Colombo, Aug. 10 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has been ranked 73rd out of 123 countries and regions in the 2025 EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), placing the country in the “Low Proficiency” category.
The index, published by EF Education First, assesses adult English proficiency based on test results from more than 2.2 million people worldwide.
Sri Lanka recorded an overall score of 486, slightly higher than India, which scored 484. However, Sri Lanka was ranked below Nepal (514), Bangladesh (506) and Pakistan (493) among the South Asian countries included in the index.
Writing was Sri Lanka’s strongest English skill, with a score of 508, while listening was the weakest at 470. The country recorded scores of 502 for reading and 501 for speaking.
Within Sri Lanka, Colombo recorded the highest city-level score at 543, placing it in the “Moderate Proficiency” category. The Central Province recorded the highest score among provinces, at 515.
The 26–30 age group was the highest-performing age category in Sri Lanka, recording an average score of 520.
Globally, the Netherlands retained the top position with a score of 624, followed by Croatia (617), Austria (616), Germany (615) and Norway (613). All five countries were placed in the “Very High Proficiency” category.
At the other end of the rankings, Cambodia recorded the lowest score at 390, placing 123rd. Côte d’Ivoire ranked 122nd with 393, followed by Libya (395), Togo (397) and Somalia (398).
The EF EPI also highlights speaking as a major weakness across more than half of the countries measured, with speaking generally scoring lower than other skills.
The report further notes that English proficiency is increasingly linked to international competitiveness, innovation, access to global opportunities and the ability of workforces to adopt emerging technologies, including AI-powered productivity tools.
Ranga Monday, 10 August 2026 02:16 PM
Kays Monday, 10 August 2026 04:35 PM
Singapore not anywhere on the list? Strange isn't it?
Uditha Priya Rajapaksha Monday, 10 August 2026 05:11 PM
China and Japan respectively occupies 86th and 96th positions. What's wrong with those countries? For those countries English is only a tool for communication but in srilanka English is considered as ornament. Now the world has changed, many languages other than English have become global languages. After all we are not living in 18th and 19th centuries in which the English ruled specially Africa and Asia as colonial masters.
Rajkumar Monday, 10 August 2026 05:40 PM
What happened to the trilingual policy in SL
Nihal Perera Monday, 10 August 2026 06:19 PM
Our foreign minister is a good example.
Kevin Monday, 10 August 2026 09:50 PM
AI functions in all languages not just English. Persons in the under 26 age group should be improved in their English proficiency. Teaching Tamil to Sinhala kids and Sinhala to Tamil kids is useless. Instead teach them both English as the other language.
Yes or No Friday, 14 August 2026 03:44 PM
We are Sri Lankans. We should learn only Sinhalese or Tamil. We are very patriotic about our mother toungs. We don't need English. We should remove all English names in Sri Lanka. Galle Face, Port City, Royal College, Ladies College and many more had to be changed to English. Even Cricket and rugby should be renamed in Sinhala. No more coat suit, trousers, jacket, shirts neck tie, shoes etc. Even we should revert to bullock carts so that we will be immune to fluctuations in oil prices. It will preserve Sri Lanka's unique and historical identity. Why do we need anything English or any other language. Hold on... can we have the contents in the passport in only Sinhala or tamil ?
Ylg Monday, 10 August 2026 10:35 PM
kuma Tuesday, 11 August 2026 12:53 AM
THank you MR bandaranaike. YOur kids speak good english though
Jude Tuesday, 11 August 2026 03:00 AM
If the SL politicians improve their English proficiency then SL ranked in the 60's yeah
Citizens Tuesday, 11 August 2026 03:18 AM
Since English is an international language Sri Lanka should focus not only on improving the sinhala/Tamil language. Many Sri Lankans travelling overseas are unable to read and understand a form given to the. At international airports without the assistance of someone. Children in school score low marks because of the lack of proper English teachers. If you take the older village folk who didn't have all the technology available now many speak better English than the present generation desp I te having all the facilities.
sammy cooper Wednesday, 12 August 2026 10:33 AM
While past language policies have hurt SL in being internationally competitive, we now have to make our English language teaching competitive by allocating more resources and strengthening teaching methods. We could also share teachers from countries with better English standards to help improve our students and teachers. We should not make the mistakes of the past and doom our children to a mediocre future.
wijayasiri Thursday, 13 August 2026 09:00 PM
Could we promote and push Siinhala to be the world language for communications?
wijayasiri Thursday, 13 August 2026 08:48 PM
Thank you, SWRD! Your Sinhala-only policy is bearing fruit! How did the other countries do on proficiency in Sinhala?
Nandana Goonewardena Thursday, 20 August 2026 12:36 PM
Surprising that we did not end up in first place in English proficiency in the world. After all, our Ministers had "big kuchchen" and according to the "international low [law]. Money, money, money. That is all for doctors, and nurses and attendants in the National Hospital. Wait for clear evidence to be established very soon.
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