By Mahil Dole –

Mahil Dole

If Sri Lanka is to truly progress as a developed nation, the first and most powerful change must come not from technology, foreign aid, or new infrastructure, but from the attitudes of her people. The mindset of unity, compassion, and shared destiny is what transforms a country.

If we want to change the attitudes of people and to develop the country, the divisions and disparities in school education should be ended. And also, the media should not divide but unite the people. This is not a task for society alone—it is a responsibility that falls on the state, education authorities, and the media sector.

Faith- and Race-Based Schools: The Root of Division

Sri Lanka’s education system still reflects deep divisions along lines of faith, language, and ethnicity. Faith-based schools—Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian—as well as Sinhala-medium or Tamil-medium race-based schools, were born from history and cultural needs. While they have preserved identity, language, and moral grounding, they have also unintentionally created parallel worlds of socialization.

Children growing up in separate schools rarely interact with peers from other communities. Instead of learning that diversity is normal, they grow up seeing it as different—even threatening. They celebrate different holidays, study different heroes, and sometimes learn competing versions of history. By the time they leave school, they carry invisible walls that limit unity and trust.

This early segregation weakens national identity. A child may emerge from school primarily as Sinhala, Tamil, or Muslim, but not as Sri Lankan. Such divisions become fertile ground for political exploitation, prejudice, and social unrest.

The answer is not to abolish faith-based schools, but to reorient them. They can preserve identity while also contributing to unity. With deliberate reforms—common curricula, bilingual education, intercultural programs, and shared activities—they can transform from being islands of exclusivity to bridges of togetherness.

A Call to Policymakers

National leaders must recognize that unity is the foundation of development. No investment in infrastructure will last if the people are divided. Policymakers should:

* Reform the education system to reduce segregation and enforce a common national curriculum across all schools.

* Make bilingual education (Sinhala and Tamil) a requirement, with English as a bridge language.

* Invest in teacher training to instill inclusiveness and empathy.

* Promote intercultural programs—exchange visits, joint sports, and student dialogues between faith- and race-based schools.

A Call to Education Authorities (Government and Private)

School authorities, both state and private, must recognize their role as nation-builders, not just educators. They should:

* End exclusive identities in schools by encouraging mixed enrollments and joint projects.

* Provide spaces for interaction—debates, leadership camps, cultural festivals—where students can meet across differences.

* Model inclusivity in governance, ensuring school management reflects national diversity.

* Partner with civil society to run awareness programs on unity and critical thinking.

A Call to the Media (State and Private)

If education divides, media often amplifies those divisions. Too much airtime and print space is given to sensationalism, stereotypes, and conflict. Instead, media must:

* Promote unity-driven content—stories of cooperation, reconciliation, and shared achievements.

* Adopt ethical journalism standards that avoid fueling prejudice.

* Give equal space to all communities and highlight rural as well as urban voices.

* Run nationwide campaigns on reconciliation and shared citizenship.

* Use entertainment media—films, dramas, talk shows—to normalize togetherness.

Towards a Shared Tomorrow

True national development requires more than buildings and roads—it requires minds and hearts that walk the same path. Policymakers, educators, and media leaders must realize they hold the tools of unity in their hands.

* Schools are not just classrooms; they are nation-building factories.

* Media is not just business; it is the conscience of the people.

* Policy is not just lawmaking; it is shaping the destiny of generations.

It is time for a shift: from division to unity, from suspicion to trust, from parallel paths to one common road. Sri Lanka’s children deserve to grow up in a country where education connects them, and media inspires them.

The choice is clear: remain divided and stagnant, or unite and progress.

One nation, one people, one future—the journey begins with bold decisions today.

*Mahil Dole SSP Retired –Senior Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst, Former Head of Counter-Terrorism – State Intelligence Service and First Secretary (Defence), Embassy of Sri Lanka in Thailand. Present member of the Sri Lanka Waqfs Board.