With education reforms once again topical, many opinions are being shared as to ‘what should be taught’. The fact that we need an overhaul of the education system has been apparent for many decades, yet remained largely unaddressed, often with support from many in the current Government, who were part of various student movements that saw any change to the status quo as an imperialist conspiracy to ‘weaken the nation’. Now in the driving seat of governance, let us hope those old flames of rejecting everything that did not fit a particular narrative are very much in the rear-view mirror and that the Government is chugging along with foresight and a future-oriented mindset.

One of the key challenges is how to equip Sri Lankan youth to thrive in the modern world. Given the turbulent period the island just managed to survive, though, the question that many have raised is whether financial literacy should be included as a compulsory subject in the school curriculum. Others have pointed out that there is a lack of civic education in Sri Lanka, a deficiency that has been linked to community polarisation as well as poor inclusivity and understanding of governance. There has also been a call not to ‘cancel’ History as a subject. However, the latter has been a controversial topic for discussion. These areas of study are deemed important to heal Sri Lanka’s torn social fabric, in addition to improving national identity and good governance, as well as economic prosperity.

It is reported that the Government is considering the introduction of financial literacy education for students from Grades 6-9, and the growing discussion on its importance is showing that the adult population is keen not to see the repetition of old mistakes. Financial literacy covers critical skills such as budgeting, saving, and responsible use of credit – areas that can impact individuals’ long-term economic wellbeing. In an increasingly complex financial environment, having a solid understanding of financial concepts enables people to effectively navigate banking services, plan for the future, and avoid common pitfalls such as debt traps. This is especially important for fostering economic stability and inclusion across all segments of society. According to an article recently published in The Sunday Morning, a recent financial literacy survey in Sri Lanka reveals encouraging progress in financial inclusion across the population. As of 2021, 89.3% of individuals aged 15 and above hold an account with a financial institution, significantly surpassing the South Asian regional average of 73.6% and the lower-middle-income country average of 65.8%. Among youth aged 15-24, account ownership is notably high at 88.9%, indicating strong engagement with formal financial services among younger generations. Additionally, female account ownership stands at 89%, well above the regional average of 65.8%, highlighting strides in gender inclusion within financial access. It is no secret that there is a thirst for and a public push to include financial literacy in the curriculum; as such, the necessary political will seems to have been found to pursue it.

However, there seems to be less interest in pursuing Civic Education and History as subjects in the education reforms. Some have argued that the National People’s Power (NPP) Government is allowing History to ‘die a natural death’ by making it an optional subject in a long list which is already cumbersome for youth to navigate. While history is a difficult topic to discuss, particularly due to post-independence governance failures, insurrection, ethnic tensions and riots, conflicts, and the carnage that ensued, it is nevertheless a period that cannot be ignored or forgotten. If we are to learn lessons from the past, we must learn history and not a sanitised version of it. Civics is a subject that many agree needs to be included, and rightly so, as it helps build a strong and resilient democratic nation as well as an inclusive society. It empowers citizens to participate effectively in governance, understand their rights and responsibilities, and contribute to national development while becoming better global citizens as well.