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History being edged out of Sri Lankan classrooms

The fascinating story of Sri Lanka's past, one of the longest written histories in the world, is contained in two great literary works compiled by Buddhist monks in the beginning of the sixth century BC.

Educationists worry, however, that the ancient chronicles no longer fascinate university students who are opting for science and information technology. The arts has been edged out of classrooms, apparently because it doesn't help students to find quick and lucrative employment, unlike in the past.

Only 1,981 students opted for history at high school in 1990, compared to 17,507 in 1966. A paper presented by a historian at a recent international conference in the Peradeniya university revealed that history has almost disappeared from schools and universities.

Until the 1980s, the arts had attracted the best students.

Historian Dr Wimala Ratnayake cautioned that by neglecting the subject, Sri Lanka was giving an opportunity to self-seeking politicians and rabble rousers to distort history as never before.

''The answer to distortion of history is not to turn your back on it but to see that it is correctly taught to every citizen so that the children and youth can judge for themselves and discriminate between right and wrong, truth and falsehood and good and bad,'' she said.

Sri Lanka has a chilling experience of distortion of history. For 15 years, Tamil rebels have been fighting for a homeland in the island's north and east, which they say was their ''traditional homeland''. Historians reject this claim, saying that all communities in Sri Lanka have a right to live wherever they want and that there was never a concept of ''traditional'' homeland.

Dr Ratnayake pointed out that the swing away from the arts coincides with a period of serious civil strife in Sri Lanka.

''It has happened at a time when the country is faced with political, social and economic problems of a serious nature that demands historical perspectives, and at a time when everyone needs to understand the past to shed light on the present national crisis,'' she said.

According to her, educationists must act quickly to prevent ''history-teaching from becoming history,'' as warned by the National Education Commission which revealed that only 11 per cent of university students study the subject.

The Commission, which recalled that Sri Lanka evolved over the centuries nurtured by significant traditions and a deep rooted culture, warned: ''The question is being raised as to whether we are seeing the evening of that culture and civilisation. Education instead of deepening wisdom appears to be narrowing the outlook.''

This, Dr Ratnayake stresses, was bound to happen when a store house of knowledge and wisdom, and a continuous and recorded history of 2,500 years, was not given its due place in school curriculums.

But there is hope yet; the trend can be reversed.

Britain, faced with a similar situation in the 1960s, reintroduced history and geography as foundation subjects in the national curriculum for 5 to 14 year olds, thus reactivating interest in the subjects.

National cohesion, national integrity and national unity are of paramount importance for Sri Lanka's future as rising communalism, divisive forces, terrorism and violence threaten to tear the country apart.

Thousands of young and old people have died since 1971 as left-wing Sinhalese launched two unsuccessful revolts against the state. Tamil rebels, meanwhile, continue their campaign of death and destruction, in defence of self-determination rights.

Dr Ratnayake surmises that it is only through a historical study that children would understand and appreciate the nation's achievements, contributions, successes and failures.

''It will help them identify with their rich historical background, give them a feeling of belonging and a sense of security. This will help to develop in them a feeling of patriotism and nationalism (not narrow chauvinism). It will help them to understand their place in society,'' she said.

Dr Ratnayake, who teaches history at Peradeniya university, said the allegations of youth being unpatriotic, destructive, selfish and indifferent to the needs of society stemmed from the failure of history being given its rightful place in the school curriculum.

While sociology, economics and political science are vehicles for analysing the world, history plays an even greater role in that it is a general subject that embraces the other social sciences without requiring acquisition of a detailed methodology and language of each separate social science.

Dr Ratnayake urged that children be provided with opportunities to handle original source material, visit historical sites, view archaeological excavations, make use of museums, and interview and talk to elders in villages and towns.

"A sense of history will give them a sense of worth," she said.

UNI

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