Sri Lanka’s Minister of Culture announces a new education plan to teach children both their own and other religions, highlighting the country’s multicultural roots. The move aims to foster tolerance as other nations drop religion from classrooms.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Buddhism, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, has emphasized that the country remains proudly multi-religious and multicultural. Speaking during a national television program, the Minister explained the government’s plan to ensure students receive religious education that reflects both their personal faith and a broader understanding of other belief systems.
Minister Sunil Senevi stated that 50 to 60 percent of the religious curriculum in schools will continue to focus on the child’s own religion. However, the remaining portion will now include teachings from other major religions practiced across the country. This, he says, is a necessary step to promote religious harmony and cultural understanding from a young age.
“Sri Lanka is a multi-religious and multicultural country,” he reiterated, explaining the government’s rationale behind this inclusive educational approach. He noted that exposure to multiple religious perspectives would strengthen unity and social cohesion among future generations.
In contrast, he pointed out that some countries around the world have chosen to completely remove religion from school curriculums, replacing them with secular or values-based subjects. Sri Lanka, however, is taking a different path—one that balances traditional faith education with respect for religious diversity.
The Minister’s remarks reflect a broader cultural policy aimed at nurturing peaceful coexistence and mutual respect in a nation historically shaped by a tapestry of religious traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity.
The proposed curriculum model is expected to be implemented across government schools as part of ongoing reforms in religious and cultural education.
