He braved odds against free education

Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara:

by W.T.A. Leslie FERNANDO

One fine day - May 30, 1944 the Minister of Education in the State Council was presenting a bill in that august assembly. The bill was the Education Bill that contained the Free Education Scheme that brought about a social revolution in Sri Lanka. The Minister was none other than Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara whose 125th birth anniversary fell on October 13, 2009.

Dr. Kannangara concluded his speech, which was one of the longest in the legislature on the Adjournment Day on June 2, 1944 and he sat down to a thunderous applause. The Indian government representative M.S. Aney, who had listened to the entire speech from the distinguished visitors gallery, immediately rushed downstairs, took Dr. Kannangara by both hands and said, "You would have been worshipped as a God, had you been in India".

Christopher William Wijekoon Kannangara was born on October 13, 1884 at Randombe in Ambalangoda. He had his early education at the Wesleyan High School at Ambalangoda. He was a child of 12 years when his father lost his job. This was a big blow to his family of six children who had to struggle hard for their daily sustenance. But Kannangara was courageous from the beginning. He wrested the foundation scholarship and entered Richmond College, Galle.

Richmond at that time was meant for the rich and poor boy Kannangara had to undergo many difficulties and suffer embarrassment. Perhaps experiences in his young days might have induced Dr. Kannangara to fight so gallantly for free education in his later years for the benefit of poor children.

Although poor in wealth, young Kannangara was rich in talent. He was often the first in class and excelled in sports in the field. He carried away the largest number of prizes at prize-givings. In 1903 he passed the Cambridge Senior examination, placed in the first division obtaining the highest marks for arithmetic among the students of the British Colonies.

After leaving school, he taught for some time at Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa and then at Wesley College, Colombo. While teaching at Colombo he attended the Law College and passed out as a lawyer in 1910. He commenced his practice at Galle and earned a reputation as a clever lawyer. He defended those innocent people who were arrested in riots in 1915 without any remuneration.

Dr. Kannangara entered the national arena as an active member of the Temperance Movement initiated by patriots like F.R. Senanayake, Sir Baron Jayatilaka, D.S. Senanayake, Arthur V. Dias and Piyadasa Sirisena. In the 1930's he began to wear the national dress introduced by P. de S. Kularatne, Dr. G.P. Mallalasekera and others. Since then he never donned the Western costume.

He was one of the founder members of the Ceylon National Congress, the main plank which was to obtain independence for Sri Lanka. In 1924, he was elected to the Legislative Council to represent the Galle District. In 1930 Dr. Kannangara became the President of the National Congress. In 1931 he was elected to the State Council as the member for Galle. In 1936 elections he was re-elected to the State Council - this time as the member for Matugama.

Dr. Kannangara was the Minister of Education in the State Council from 1931 to 1947. During his term, there was a remarkable progress in the sphere of education. The free mid-day meal for schoolchildren, improvement of the Pirivena education, establishment of the University of Peradeniya, introduction of Central Schools are all his achievements, but his greatest contribution was the Free Education Scheme.

Higher education at that time, which was in English was the exclusive preserve of the rich. University education was beyond the reach of even those with an average income. The poor had to be satisfied at most with secondary education. It was in this situation that on the initiative taken by A. Ratnayake the member for Dumbara in the State Council, the special committee on education headed by Minister Kannangara recommended free education.

When Dr. Kannangara introduced the Free Education Scheme he had to face severe opposition from the vested interests spearheaded by the then Catholic Church. They did everything possible to sabotage free education and they were backed by the national press as well. He anticipated such opposition and was ready to meet them.

Some of the critics of free education, specially the Catholic Church suggested that instead scholarships should be endowed to poor children selected by a competitive examination. This would have been mere patchwork to maintain the status quo. The rich with money, influence and better English would have easily out survived the poor in various fields. Dr. Kannangara and other sponsors of free education were too clever to be trapped in that manner.

Some others queried why free education should be extended to the affluent. Dr. Kannangara who had to undergo difficulties and harassment as a poor student explained that he did not want to create class distinction in education and have second class students. Some lamented that there would be no youths to pluck the yield in their estates. That was the type of inequality the free education aimed to eliminate.

Dr. Kannangara and his supporters carried out a vigorous and sensational campaign all over the country. More formidable was the opposition to free education, the more determined he was. In this endeavour he was backed by the progressive Maha Sangha. He held meetings all over the country, answered all the arguments levelled against free education and dispelled its critics.

He and the sponsors of free education explained its benefits to the masses and created a strong public opinion in its favour. Dr. Kannangara then won over the majority of the members in the State Council and saw the Free Education Bill passed in the State Council.

The Free Education Scheme called the 'Pearl of Great Price' opened wide the doors of higher education to the poor. Education was made free from the kindergarten to the university. Along with free education more and more Central Schools were opened all over the country with a greater concentration in rural areas. Scholarships from the fifth standard up to the university providing free board and lodging besides free education were endowed to poor talented children selected by a competitive examination.

Thus the way was prepared for those poor but clever children who earlier had only a bleak future to reap the benefits of higher education.

The parents of those offspring who could not afford higher education to their clever children because of their poverty shed tears of joy. Today as a result of free education there are university dons, administrative officers, doctors, engineers, accountants, architects, judges and lawyers who hail from among the poor and humble citizens of this country.

To the surprise of many Dr. Kannangara lost his seat, Matugama at the parliamentary elections held in 1947 two years after he introduced free education. Yet he took the defeat like a gentleman and never grumbled about it. However, all the progressive measures he had planned in education like taking over of assisted schools were all shelved after his defeat.

In the 1952 General Election Dr. Kannangara was elected to Parliament as the member for Agalawatta. But the vested interests saw to it that he was not made the Minister of Education. He served as the Minister of Local Government from 1952 to 1956. In the 1956 election Dr. Kannangara did not seek re-election and retired from politics.

We could see that the powers that tried to sabotage free education in 1940's were at it again. They set up International schools that came up like mushrooms and branches of private schools that charge lakhs for admission of students in the name of donations. They provide ways and means for the rich to outrival the poor students benefited by free education.

Whatever the faults of the educational system like the necessity for tuition, preferential treatment to prestigious schools, political interference, corruption and challenges posed by international schools and private schools, we could still see the free education scheme yielding benefits for the poor.

Dr. Kannangara was 60 years when he presented the free education bill. He lived till the age of 85 and passed away on September 23, 1969, exactly 25 years after presenting his far-reaching piece of legislation. He was able to see the fruits of his remarkable endeavour take pride of his achievement.

He was born poor and died poor. In his long political career he never used his position to amass any wealth. In his last years he had to be assisted by a special grant from the State. Yet in another sense he died rich - rich in his service to people.

Dr. Kannangara, the Father of Free Education in Sri Lanka is a great statesman and patriot worthy of emulation by generations. He is enshrined with gratitude in the hearts of thousands of us who have benefited by free education. As long as free education lasts in our country, Dr. Kannangara would be venerated by the people in Sri Lanka.

(The writer is a former High Court Judge and Vice President of the Newman Society Alumni Association.)