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Postgraduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences

(PGIHS)
Education Diploma Program

PDE 503 – Comparative Education

Task;
Explain the changes in Sri Lankan education during colonial periods.
By Dr. Prabath Ekanayake

Student; Ven. Pemarathana H.

Re.No; DIP/EDU/19/20/076
Department of Education
University of Peradeniya
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Explain the changes in Sri Lankan education during the following periods.
❖ Portuguese period
❖ Dutch period
❖ British period
Abstract - Education is a right for all so it is timeline in any period with same values,
but it may change its directions due to impact of social changes as well as cultural backgrounds
of related countries. Past and present are essential to plan next moment. Sri Lanka has
considerable long history. Anything of the world nothing builds just mysteriously because all
the conditioning things arise with cause and effect then they get that it’s needed variables for
gradually. This paper strives to investigate educational changes during the colonial periods in
Sri Lanka.

Introduction

Sri Lanka is independent country, but it performs diversity context on ethically, on

culturally as well as on religiously. According to the archaeological factors Sri Lanka has long
history before thousands of years but historical commentaries has been 6th century B.C. up to
present. Population of Sri Lanka are around 21.67 million (census -2018) and birth rate is 15.43
per 1000 people (UN projection report – 2020). There are 10,194 government school,
4,165,964 students, 241,591 teachers and its yearly get admissions 322,135 for grade one.
Schools are classified resources basely into four types such as 1AB, 1C, type 2, and type 3
(SCR – 2017).

Sri Lanka had education system which built base on indigenous environmental facts up
to 1505, after that that system was changed because of the Sri Lankan dynasty was undertaken
to an imperialism up to 1948; it was something changed with some new ideology but it is not
fruitful because of the influencing of hybrid opinions. It seems to will be changed positively in
next two decade since rethinking of new generation. And they are started to think openly even
their own falling down, as well as at ancient people in Sri Lanka they never thought only
economic prosperity of the nation. According to historical movement they had been balance
both physical and mental satisfaction of the people and whole environment. By 1950, Sri Lanka
population was less than one million that means this little island population was littler in history
also and they had grown up independently without undertook any region. Such kind of
historical people had happiness regarding their living. Its cannot compare with modernity but
today we are in quit difference world as global community so we should new principles to
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involve with those changes. Education is key to connect right way, that is why it should be the
best valuable thing in our systems. Majority of the country have desire to accept new ideology,
but it is only a positive acceptation. Let’s review concerning here main purpose of changes
education during colonial periods.

History of Education in Sri Lanka (up to 1505 A.D)

I intent to mention brief thought concerning history of Sri Lankan education system
which means before 1505 A.D. Historical factors of Sri Lanka received with arriving Vijaya in
sixth century B.C. who expelled from India because of uncontrol person in comparison with
related society but, before that Sri Lanka had been some primary knowledge according to the
woman of kuwen’s incident. We can predict that there had been simple education system at the
origin of the human in Sri Lanka. After arriving Vijaya it could be formalized in order to Indian
cultural facts because of there are some literature that it came skilled person in some area like
iconographers, carpenters, cleaners and so. As agricultural society in Sri Lanka had been well
planed irrigation system even at the beginning as well as architectural constructions. After the
coming of Bhikkhu Arahant Mahinda entire system was changed positively so education
system also developed as ethical based, it was also based on Buddhist practices and it
influenced from ancient religious practices which followed simple practise of people.

As results of new movement in society the language was started to use formal way
beyond the speaking. Many books were written in order to Buddhist practices to interpret
complex philosophy into simple so commentaries, sub-commentaries and many other
literatures introduced to society. But this process was not like western religious authority
because any literature had been used any person if it could be wished to apply. There are some
laypersons as authors like minister of Devapathiraja, King of Abasalamewan so on in Sri
Lankan educational history. During the days of the Anuradhapura Kingdom alone, there
flourished 18 schools of specialized teachers (Adikaram. E. W. - 1953). These were designated
as follows:

Suttantabhanaka, Vinayabhanaka, Abhidammabhanaka, Dighabhanaka,

Majjbimabhanaka, Samyuttabhanaka, Anguttarabhanaka, Khuddakabhanaka,
Atthakathabhanakd, Akkharabhanaka. Matikabhanaka, Jatakabhanaka, Dhammapadabhanaka,
Ubhatovibhangabhanaka, Khandakabhanaka, Mahapakaranika, Sabbapariyattika,
Mahaniddesabhanaka. Those specialized teachers disseminated knowledge relating to their
specific fields. it was even medical centres. For these necessities Bhikkhus had been the proper
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guider and every kingdom in Sri Lankan history Pirivena was the education centre. There was
a “Guru Gedera” education system in the ancient period. Guru Gedera system was where the
students boarded with the teacher in his home and learned from him (Fernando et al. 2007). It
has many subject due to the social needs. Literature was the specific facts among them, and it
had given morality for the people to live compassionately. There are lot of literature collection
in history who was compiled by laypeople and Bhikkhus. Archaeology, indigenous medicines,
Astrology, language and literature, mathematics, history, prosody, poetry, and other subjects
were taught by historical education institutions.

❖ Portuguese period (1505 – 1658 A.C)

The beginning of the sixteenth century saw the first impact of European colonial power
on Sri Lankan society and culture as well as education. More than four centuries (1505-1958)
of colonialism changed the education system in the island. It was established decisive phase in
the evolution of the Sri Lankan Education system. We knew that there has already Buddhist
and Hindu religious based education system but after arriving Around 1600 different
missionaries, such as the Franciscans, the Jesuits, the Dominicans and Augustinians had
established themselves on the island. De Silva indicate that their main purpose could convert
people to their Christianity and they established monasteries and parish school for them. They
gave permission to student to learn from such kind of school who accepted to their religious
legacy. Goonarathne also explain that the Portuguese used education to read religion in church.
They taught Portuguese language, reading, writing, good practices, music, Latin,
Christianism which they established institution for education but their subjects in followed
education institutions was changed according to the diversity missionaries’ group throughout
the island. They studied reading, writing and singing and religion in primary education system
but they taught Portuguese language, mother tongue, rhetoric, anthropology for secondary
education and sociology, Latin language and other subjects taught for high education after
arrived Jesuits in 1602. Learning ethics and study by characters was the main purpose of their
education process.
In curriculum were consisted the subjects like law of god, good charity, reading,
writing, Latin, singing and arithmetic in Franciscan’s collage and it was quit parallel with the
Jesuits college education. Their education curriculum for the royal families were changed than
normal education. These children they fed for governing their region and they practised for
them. That teachers also brought from their home countries. Their changes in education system
often based on spreading of religion. All the movement they made for that necessity. On this
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stage education system more narrowed therefore they never make any research to invent new
product with technological knowledge, but they planned to belong benefits on ground. Their
education changes were not gain benefit for the development in local society but in some
position changed positively which in polity.

❖ Dutch period (1658 – 1796)

Dutch people administrated the maritime area at the beginning but they started to spread
their religion through the wide area in country and they made plan to do that. When we
investigate their aim on that day, they had bellow purpose to do for achieving their target;
• To eliminate Roman catholic religion and propagate Protestant Christian
religion in native people.
• To train teachers for spreading religion.
• To give primary education who involved their religion.
• To enhance their administrative power.
• To maintain middle class resource persons for assist their political operation.
Their main purpose was the propagating Protestant Christian and they change their education
system depend on that targets. It was also like Portuguese system. Dutch people made
scholarchal commission in Gall and Jaffna to dominate their aims. They considered other
religious groups as well but this strategy only for verifying their religion on ground. They built
many schools for this. Their own schools provided free education and the medium used
in these schools was the vernacular. European children received education on separate schools
such as the Orphan, Parish and Private schools. At the same time education was given in the
Seminary, a training school for future missionaries (Gooneratne – 1958). they gave free education
according to the social class. If they followed their own such kinds of people had good opportunity for
getting good privileges as well because difference groups of people were there during that period.
Gooneratne described how the Mudaliyar class, a group of mainly Sinhalese people, profited
from the Dutch occupation and they admired with giving faming. These native people could be
converted western way of life which were meant by them and such native people was also
contradictory native way of life.
Dutch people did not want to change education system for the gain good benefit for the
native people but their pure purpose only involved native people with their religion and
geographically they realized the validity of ground and they started to cultivate such things and
they exported all the benefits for their home countries. Traditional people who lived in agrarian
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way of life had to serve these kinds of people because they got their hand native administrative
system. Eventually, both educational system were mixed before arrived British people and
those educational changes were wanted to settle their religion as well as they taken benefits on
ground with cultivating agricultural things and other prosperous things. But even today some
scholar argues, that the colonial period more profitable than our native system. It has some
profits but historical facts did not mention what this county was depended from other countries
before the colonial periods. Portuguese and Dutch administration system wanted to make an
image in this country from their way of life. That is why they changed traditional education
system in this country.
British Period {1796 – 1948(1972)}
We had spent 150 year when British people come into our country on 1796. Our
traditional education system and other cultural way of life had changed considerably. There
were already some native people who used to accept Christianity so it was well for the British
people to dominate their needs in this ground. They also applied early patterns to involve their
concept. Portuguese and Dutch people used different languages and British people also used
English language for their administrative system. They converted education system to adapt
scholarchal persons into British kingdom. Mother tongue used in Dutch and Parish schools and
reading, writing and Christian also taught in such types schools but English Language applied
in high school education and academia powered for training young for the career opportunities.
English speaking people could be privileged for jobs but other low cost and they had to serve
for the British people.
Diversity missionary’s schools were started in this country at 1812 by British people.
All school curriculum was included Portuguese, English, Tamil, Sinhala, Statics and
Christianity. Tamil language used for rural area education and high skilled student let to teach
as teacher in American school. By Colebrook Cameron commission gave priority for the
English Language in 1833 and they added statement for the teaching in gazette as nominated
“statement of evidence by heart” but, due to the report of Morgan comity in 1865, they
stablished education department and school system free from teaching religion in 1869 as
results of this. They started agricultural collage where in Colombo by 1884 as well as
Peradeniya agricultural college also started in 1909 but this education influenced from their
need not for depend on local agrarian patterns.
Steel Olcott came in 1885 and he led to build local society as well then it was able to start new
local school system like Ananda college in Colombo, Mahinda college in Gall and Darmapala
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college in Kandy were the prominent schools. Those school based on local culture and
Buddhism. Islamic school and Hindu school also began during this period.
British administrative system was wide even in rural area and they focused the
language capability to study in this school. Lesotho has made some research regarding
language policy which used by British kingdom in colony of Ceylon as well as another African
country. This was basic tool in their legacy. Brutt-Grittler argued that the British colonies
prevent many people education to dominate labour force what they had wanted to undertake
their agrarian needs. Even they made agricultural college, education was based on their
perspectives. Keel Patrick who came here in 1920 and he comprehended that the curriculum
should be dealt on present world. This was an essential direction for the Sri Lankan Education.
It issued the curriculum for method of Sri Lankan school education on 1928 and this progressed
up to 1938 without any revise but certified curriculum for the Sri Lankan Education issued on
1938 by the education department of Sri Lanka and this was for grade one to eight.
Handessa project was strived to bring curriculum based on local perspective in 1931
because that project indicated education is part of life and it has involved with life. When the
started school in 1944 that curriculum insisted science, maths, aesthetic, mother tongue, and
other practical subjects.

Conclusion
According to this brief observation the Sri Lankan Education gradually changed under the
colonial periods but, before that Sri Lankan has local education system based on indigenous
sociological needs. Colonial periods changed the education system than before but that
differences related only with their needs. That changes helped to develop agrarian field but all
these only for there benefits. Forcing an alien culture, an alien religion and an alien education on
these people is truly a tragedy for an independent of Sri Lanka. Today we are in very liberal world
but even very rich country also strive to conduct their color. We might think as community of
globally then why most powerful country invent most dangerous component for the war. Then
world system guides to undertake lower level country for the rich nation. They dominated all
powers with their hands. That is the geopolitical process in modern world. That is why I argue we
had good education system to develop own style but in colonial period they destroyed such patterns
and they could be produced their image between local community. That hybrid concepts have
conflict on Sri Lankan Stage but some valuable things also in colonial period such as democracy.
References
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Adikaram. E. W., Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon, Gunesena & Co. Ltd, Colombo,
1953, p. 24-32.
Fernando, T S, Sylvi Senadheera, G L S Senaratne, and T S V De Zoysa. 2007. Curriculum
Theory and Practice: Module II. Nawala: Faculty of Education, Open University of Sri
Lanka.
Gooneratne, M. Y., English Literature in Ceylon, 1815-1878 (Colombo 1968).
de Silva, K. M., A History of Sri Lanka (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1981).
Sumathipala, K. H. M., History of Education in Ceylon 1796-1965 (Colombo 1968).