By Sarath Dissanayake –

Nalandians reeling in utter shame and disgust

A generation of Nalandians would have had the biggest shock of their life yesterday, upon learning of the unprecedented illicit scandal ever, in their living memory. Aghast, they would never have imagined in their wildest dreams the utter humiliation befallen their alma-mater, amidst its centenary celebrations. Being a Nalandian myself, I feel ashamed, and so do with most others, of the appalling conduct of a student and few teachers with utter contempt.

Amid this halaboloo, a video clip is going viral on social media like wild-fire, in which a student could be seen in a compromised position with teachers. This video footage of obscene and graphic nature, doing the rounds, in fact has made a generation of students dumbfounded with utter shame, shock and revulsion. It’s most insane that our alma-mater, Nalanda, once held in highest esteem with honor, pride and respect, has all of a sudden become a laughing stock in the eyes of the public.

Nalandians who took utmost pride in the manner in which the school had stood by a generation of students thus far, feel completely let down by this infamous fiasco involving a student and teachers. Needless to say, Nalanda, is at the center of controversy today, amidst its centenary celebrations going forward with a sense of utter disbelief and shame.

Centenary celebrations marred by controversy

It’s an irony that Premier Dr Harini Amarasuriya was at Nalanda School on 26^th January as the Chief Guest and declared open a new building to mark the centenary celebrations. Premier Amarasuriya herself would have been in shock and dismay in the wake of the sickening high drama yesterday. If Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, who founded the Nalanda college in 1925, were alive today, he would have been the most embarrassed, disappointed and humiliated upon learning such insane, despicable and diabolical act of disgrace.

Anybody with an iota of morality and decency would have never imagined the monumental fiasco our Alma mater has befallen, especially on its centenary year which would have been a turning point in the annals of Sri Lanka’s education sector. Come what may, does Nalanda deserve a such a pathetic and ignoble legacy to be left behind for the next generation of students, contrary to being one of the oldest Buddhist schools in Sri Lanka with a proud and impeccable history and unblemished track record of producing generations of worthy Sri Lankans with a sense of pride and purpose.

Betrayal of the highest degree

By all accounts, this is a betrayal of the highest degree and has shaken the very foundation of Buddhist values on which the school had been founded 100 years ago by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott in 1925. This bizarre let down is a clear reflection of the sheer erosion of ethics and morality of people as well as decline of the overall quality of our educational sector as a whole. Nalanda College, which hitherto enjoyed moral high grounds with an unshakable reputation throughout its history, will no doubt emerge once again with resilience and pride in a matter of months.

Proposed education reforms timely –  Need of the hour

Teachers who are supposed to be the guardians of children have turned themselves maniacs, is an utter shame to a society reeling from similar misfortunes in recent times. At a time, Sri Lankan government has drawn up long awaited comprehensive educational reforms under the leadership of Premier, Dr Harini Amarasuriya, the pathetic situation our alma mater has fallen into is simply tragic and most appalling, to say the least. The need of the hour is to introduce much-sought-after education reforms and groom the students through a holistic process to help them build a future in an inclusive academic and spiritual setting with a right mindset of sharing and caring nature. In doing so, it is of paramount importance to rein in both the students and teachers alike, and enforcing decency and due decorum across all centers of learning by implementing a set of guidelines and codes of conduct on a priority basis. Meanwhile, the education authorities should conduct a thorough investigation to ascertain any lapses or dereliction of duties on the part of school staff tasked with disciplinary matters, with a view to ensuring proper coordination of prefects and their duties under the close supervision of administrative staff of schools.

Host of countries are to ban social media for students viz-a-viz options for Sri Lanka

In a move designed to prevent the under-aged students accessing social media, Australia enforced the world’s first ban in 2025, thus blocking those 16 and under, from social media. France is to follow suit, with a similar ban in May 2026 followed by a host of other nations, including the USA, the UK, Denmark, Malaysia, Norway, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Malaysia, the EU, UN, Brazil etc. The US authorities have noted that social media restrictions are aimed at addressing mental health concerns. French has drafted a bill and will be in force in mid 2026, with two measures: a ban on social media for under-15s and a ban on mobile phones for aged 15 -18-year-olds. The US has proposed Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA) which inter-alia, proposes ban on social media access for kids under 13, eliminates personalized recommendation algorithms for users under 17, and restricts school networks.

The parents and community groups have welcomed the move, but teenagers view it as an imposition on their freedom and social separation from their online creative spaces and social networks. Proponents, argue that social media leads to mental health issues among children, to the detriment of their moral high grounds and behavioral manners, thus exposing to dangerous content, necessitating immediate protective action. The opponents however argue that a “blunt” ban could drive children to unregulated, less safe areas of the internet, reduce parental oversight. For some others, it provides their children with an essential line to friends, family, connection and support.

Sri Lankan authorities too, may weigh in options to follow suit in order to curtail or ban social media and mobile phones for under-aged children in particular and adult students at large, in order to curb growing menace of social media related activism, adverse and harmful effects on students and communities as a whole, with far reaching consequences. The risks and dangers posed by social media platforms cannot be understated.

As already pointed out and shared in my previous write-up titled ” Sri Lanka at Crossroads viz-a-viz : A Clarion Call for Course Correction“, the damage done by media activists and die-hard elements aligned with political and religious groups has been significant.  

Contemporary role and emerging trends of Sri Lanka’s social media 

The social media in Sri Lanka, by and large have been responsible in galvanizing public opinion and mindset, especially in times of social upheavals and political crises. The social media could be extremely critical in shaping trends and momentum among societies and communities to a certain degree as proved during Aragalaya in 2022. As clearly seen time and again, the public opinion could be influenced and swayed in a particular direction or for a given cause, with social media’s hyper active role across the board, as in the case of Bangladesh and Nepal in 2024 and 2025 respectively, resulting in chaos, instability, power dynamics and rivalry. The most recent case in point was the political unrest in Iran which saw masses taking to streets in hundreds and thousands, causing a massive uprising against the state. The fall out was catastrophic with countless number of deaths. In this age of advanced technology, social media has been a very powerful medium and tool for system change in which internet and apps go hand in hand among the youth and other socially active groups in times of political instability and social upheavals. Today the social media has become the order of the day, in shaping the public opinion amid contemporary socio-political culture across the globe.

Local social media ought to be self-regulated or state controlled 

Social media such as FB, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, deserve some form of self-regulation in order to scrutinize its contents, before reaching the end-user and intended audience. In such a circumstance, the end-user-discretion will be of utmost importance in every step of the way which should be the norm rather than the exception. Accordingly, the legislative rights (legal power) and the enforcement of constitutional, statutory and regulatory processes, ought to be essentially vested with the relevant government authorities responsible for monitoring and control of social media at all times. Suffice it to say, the social media should never be a platform advocating and inciting hatred, violence, crimes and animosity whatsoever in keeping with media ethics and norms. On the other hand, social media must desist from engaging in or promoting partisan politics and propaganda inimical to peace, harmony, friendship and goodwill among people transcending ethnic, religious, faith, cultural and political divide. On the contrary, social media should strive to play its part for peaceful-coexistence in a spirit of unity and diversity, devoid of inciting tensions and divisions of any sort, for the sustenance of peace, understanding and rule of law among communities and societies at large.

A Case Study of social media in Sri Lanka

Consequent to a random research done by a local independent think tank on the impact of social media on the people of Sri Lanka, a well-documented publication is out in the public domain. According to this study (in which a cross section of Sri Lankan social media activists partaken), nearly half of those took part, alleged to be biased or leaned towards major political parties while others tend to be either overtly or covertly supportive of independent political entities. It is of greater concern to note that a good majority of social media entities seemingly in favor of backing political dogma or their ideologies at the risk of polarizing and antagonizing viewers based on their political identity and bias, program content, commentary, thereby unduly influencing public opinion and their mindset. Furthermore, the same research study found that a considerable number of social media platforms, allegedly sharing derogatory program contents of abusive, malicious and vicious nature, detrimental to peace and harmony among viewers of diverse backgrounds. In the same research, the emphasis has been laid on the impact of certain social media programs (of an extremely damaging, demeaning and harmful nature), especially on faith leaders, women and children as a whole, with no regard to viewer discretion, which should be subjected to strict regulation, supervision and scrutiny by the state  on priority basis in the national interest.

Enactment of legal provisions for social media in Sri Lanka

The government proposes to regulate social media through the ongoing reform process in terms of the Online Safety Act No 9 of 2024 (OSA) aimed at addressing and combating gender-based harassment, hate speech, online bullying, threats of violence. This is timely, though it comes too little, too little; albeit damage is already done.

The proposed legislation comes in the wake of social media activists using online media platforms to target politicians, lawyers, academics, and people of stature with malicious allegations, fabricated charges, gossip, threats, intimidations, which tend to be of degrading and insinuating nature. In particular, some social media posts tend to be racially biased and of extremely prejudicial and provocative nature, inter-alia, creating a sense of anxiety and hatred to the detriment of peace and harmony of people. The proposed reforms reportedly are aimed at addressing gender-based harassment, hate speech, and online issues of concern. The draft bill, once reviewed and finalized, is to be forwarded for Cabinet approval. The Online Safety Act No.9 of 2024 is a legal framework that addresses harmful online communications including social media and other online platforms in regard to faked posts, malicious and fabricated allegations, gender biased harassment and abuses, hate speech inimical to peace, law & order, national security.

Key Takeways

1. There is a growing body of opinion and concerns expressed by old Nalandians of stature with alarm and caution. The authorities may wish to consult all stakeholders for an insightful and in-depth investigation on this unfortunate fiasco, which was lease expected. 

2. The utterly insane conduct of the culprits has been sickening to say the least. The authorities ought to take this incident with the utmost seriousness it deserves and take corrective action to bring the situation to a semblance of normalcy

3. Damage is already done. For the sake of damage control, it is advised that the school should prevail upon the teachers and students alike to ensure such cases won’t recur henceforth.

4. This unprecedented fiasco would have to be addressed in earnest so as to build trust and confidence among parents and students in a holistic manner from a stand point of deterrence with adequate safeguards with due diligence on much sought after educational reforms to be introduced to school curriculum and schools

5. The ragging and other forms of mental and physical trauma inflicted on new entrants to universities too deserve a thorough scrutiny at the highest level of authority and prevail upon the need to ensure such demonizing, inhuman and degradable ragging would not recur in future.

6. The parents of students ought to have a closer attention of their children within and without all places of learning (schools, universities, tuition classes, centers of learning and training, temples and all places of religious worship) so as to ensure the wellbeing and moral character of all children and the youth. All such places of education should have close rapport and coordination with parents through PTAs’ OBAs’, OGAs’ student-parents councils, forums in addressing all issues of concern and interest of children and students alike.

7. There is an urgent necessity to monitor social media posts and mobile phones of children and students to prevent them in accessing and engaging in any immoral and obscene contents and untoward activities.

8. Schools must convene regular consultations and follow up any potential cases of concern with all parties involved and take appropriate disciplinary action in a spirit of upholding due decorum, deterrence and prevent recurrence of such episodes in future.

9. In the worst case scenario, the authorities may consider enforcing a total ban of social media and mobile phone for under-aged children in consultation with relevant authorities and parents as deemed appropriate, as is being done by like-minded countries

10. Should there be an urgency for course correction, the authorities should introduce new legislation and enforce legal action against those involved in and found guilty of any immoral misconduct and indecent acts, thereby institute legal action against such culprits.

“අපදාන සෝභිනී පඤ්ඤා“

True wisdom shines most brightly when it is rooted in good character and moral integrity – Nalanda Moto

*The writer is a retired Ambassador and Foreign Ministry Spokesman. He can be reached at schandrad@hotmail.com