Amidst a continuing controversy over a sex education book used in an international school, officials have now launched a probe on the contents of a history text book which suggests Sri Lankans are the off-spring of murderous ancestors and this was the possible reason for the 30 year ethnic war.
Education Secretary-Sunil. S. Sirisena told the Sunday Times the offending book taught at an international school in Colombo suggested that both Kuveni and Vijaya came from dubious backgrounds that spawned evil.
The book authored by a South Indian and printed in Colombo goes on to say that Kuveni was extremely ugly and was finally driven away by Vijaya along with her two children. “This suggestion is absurd and appears to have a sinister and hidden agenda,” Mr. Sirisena said.
The secretary said officials had been appointed to collect text books from the 70-odd international schools in the country to check their contents.
According to Mr. Sirisena there are disturbing reports about what is being taught to students at these up market schools where the majority of the children are Sri Lankans.
“The controversial history book in this school is just the tip of the iceberg. These schools which operate under business licences issued by the Board of Investment (BoI) have remained ‘sacred cows’ and were allowed a free run for the past two decades or more,” he added.
Mr. Sirisena conceded that this situation had arisen from the lack of a proper committee to monitor the activities of international schools, since the Education Ministry did not have the mandate to dictate terms as these schools functioned under the Company’s Act.He said the Government was drawing up a new education policy where the local education authorities would be able to monitor the teaching material and other activities of international schools. |
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