History from Grade 6 onwards: A Sham Reform to keep Our Children Rootless

 

Education Reforms Sri Lanka PPT for 2025.07.11 for Parliament new

 

Part 1: https://www.shenaliwaduge.com/grades-1-5-without-history-the-education-ministrys-dangerous-neglect-of-national-heritage/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLnV1FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHgI7pjLf_ZA6Hip-ksXgqxj7rkZmiD4C36A3m8IKQfR45exGaFMIOmckdUa5_aem_WcH1lDC60YFIJMy8dVS9Xw

 

The Education Ministry’s so-called inclusion of History from Grade 6 onwards is nothing more than a sham reform — a carefully disguised tactic to continue keeping our children disconnected from their roots and national identity. The Education Ministry’s decision to omit History as a standalone subject from Grades 1 to 5 is not a small technical oversight — it is an assault on the foundational identity of our children. The most critical years of mental development — ages 0 to 10 — are when a child’s subconscious is formed, values absorbed, and loyalties shaped. These are the years when a child begins to ask: Who am I? Where do I come from? What should I be proud of? And yet, the curriculum withholds these answers. This is like refusing to tell a child who their parents are until they are ten years old — by which point, the emotional and cognitive foundations are already filled by outside influences: pop culture, digital entertainment, and foreign values. Worse still, when History is finally introduced from Grade 6, it is done in a disjointed, fragmented, exam-oriented manner.

 

Decades of research in child psychology show that the early years are critical for identity formation. Without early exposure to one’s own history and heritage, children’s values become shaped by external narratives — often conflicting with national pride

 

The way History is assessed—from Grades 6 through 11—emphasizes memorization, map skills, and exam technique rather than deep understanding or emotional connection. The credit and marking system prioritizes factual recall over reflection, critical thinking, or fostering national pride.

 

Since History is not weighted as heavily as core subjects like Mathematics or Science in overall academic performance, many students and parents treat it as a secondary subject. This results in minimal engagement and enthusiasm, reducing History to just one more hurdle to clear for certification rather than a vital source of identity.

 

Consequently, generations of students memorize names and dates to pass exams but fail to internalize the spirit, lessons, or meaning of their history.

 

There is no clear national narrative, no emotional connection, and no structured pride. The syllabus jumps between periods, treats national heroes and invasions with moral equivalence, and does not connect past struggles with present duties. Instead of producing rooted, resilient citizens, we are producing students trained to pass exams — not to love, defend, or understand their country.

 

The damage these Reformers are doing

 

This is not merely incompetence. It is a subtle but strategic re-engineering of national identity. Who are these reformers? Are they paid to ruin our future children?

 

Those behind these reforms — often funded or influenced by foreign NGOs, UN bodies, and liberal globalist ideologies— are methodically weakening the roots of the next generation. By:

• Removing structured History when it matters most (early childhood)
• Teaching a disjointed, neutral version later
• Erasing or downplaying Sinhala-Buddhist civilizational pride
• Ignoring the heroism of our armed forces
• Promoting “global citizenship” without anchoring it in national belonging

 

They are shaping a generation that is rootless, defenseless, and appeasers — a generation that won’t recognize threats to its sovereignty, won’t question anti-national narratives, and won’t feel compelled to preserve its cultural or religious values.

 

This is how civilizations fall — not by war or invasion, but by forgetting who they are. In this case being taught to forget who they are.

 

The Long-Term Damage

• A child without national history grows into an adult with no inner compass.
• A nation without historical literacy becomes easy prey for external ideological occupation.
• Without historical grounding, we will not only forget our past — we will forfeit our future.

 

Call to Action

We must immediately demand that:

• History be made a mandatory standalone subject from Grade 1
• History be taught with pride, purpose, and passion — not as dull fact-memorization
• Teachers be trained not just to instruct, but to inspire
• The role of religion, armed forces, and civilizational legacy be rightfully restored in the curriculum
• A National Heritage Curriculum Board be established to review and approve all content affecting our national memory
• Citizens — parents, clergy, teachers, veterans — mobilize against this silent sabotage of our children’s identity

 

Let us be clear: the battle for Sri Lanka’s sovereignty now lies in its classrooms.

 

If we do not reform these reforms, our children will grow up knowing everything — except who they are.

 

 

 

Shenali D Waduge