The Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education, which was established in year 1999, conducts training programmes for preschool teachers.

In addition, the department coordinates the activities of the three model pre-schools situated in the three Regional Centres of the OUSL, the day care centre at Colombo (Nawala) Regional Centre and the Child Study Centre. The total number of permanent academic staff attached to the department is five. However, the Department gets the services from a large number of visiting academics to conduct day schools, mark assignments and assess practical courses of the teacher training programmes.