Tamil leaders say decades of deliberate deletions have erased the history, identity, and contributions of the Tamil people from Sri Lanka’s education system and are now demanding immediate correction through new education reforms.
The main Tamil political party operating in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province has formally urged the Prime Minister to reinstate the history of the Tamil nation into school textbooks through the ongoing education reform process, arguing that past governments deliberately erased vital historical content.
Addressing a press conference in Kilinochchi on January 11, 2026, senior Ilangei Tamil Arasu Katchi leader and Member of Parliament Shivagnanam Sri Dharan said that all eight ITAK parliamentarians met Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on January 8 to raise the issue directly. He noted that the discussion focused on restoring historically removed material related to Tamil identity, heritage, and contributions to the country.
According to MP Sri Dharan, the Prime Minister, who also holds the Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education portfolios, acknowledged that even material on Sri Arumuga Navalar, a key figure who devoted his life to advancing Tamil language and Saiva traditions, has been removed from current textbooks.
“Especially the history of Arumuga Navalar is not in the textbooks now. Therefore, the history of the Tamil people, the fundamental principles of the Tamil people, were once there. They were in the textbooks in the 70s and 80s. The previous governments deliberately and gradually deleted Tamil history. We made it clear to her that what was removed should be put back in the textbooks.”
MP Sri Dharan, a former educationist, further emphasized that the histories of Tamil kings and rulers who governed parts of the island have also been systematically removed. He said references to ancient Tamil rulers, the irrigation systems they built, and the religious sites they established no longer appear in school curricula.
“Tamil people, Eelam Tamil people are permanent citizens of this land. Aboriginal citizens. They belong to this land. We have history. Especially Kulakottans, Sangilians, Bandaravannis, Arasa Kesari etc. have ruled this land. Ellalans have ruled this land for 40 years. Tamil kings have fought here. Many tanks and temples have been built by them. They are British, They have fought against the Dutch and the Portuguese, so these histories are hidden.”
ITAK parliamentarians stressed that the removal of such material has weakened historical understanding among younger generations and distorted national history. They reiterated that Tamil history was once part of school textbooks during the 1970s and 1980s before being gradually eliminated.
The party has now pledged to submit a detailed report to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya outlining specific omissions and explaining why restoring Tamil historical narratives is essential for inclusive education, national reconciliation, and historical accuracy.
SOURCE :- TAMILNET
