Nearly 2.2 million school-aged children in Sri Lanka are currently not receiving any form of Dhamma education, according to Deputy Minister of Buddhism, Religious Affairs and Culture, Gamagedara Dissanayake.
Responding to a query in Parliament on Saturday (03), the Deputy Minister revealed that only about 1.8 million students are enrolled in Buddhist Dhamma schools, despite the country having more than 10,600 such institutions and 123,000 teachers.
In contrast, the state education system comprises approximately 4 million students across 10,096 schools.
The Deputy Minister noted that efforts are underway to integrate all religious education streams—including Buddhist, Catholic, and Muslim schools—into a broader framework to ensure moral and spiritual development among youth.
“The time has come to revive the declining Dhamma education system,” he said, adding that the absence of such moral instruction is a key contributor to current social challenges.
He also announced that a national-level discussion with leaders of district Shasanarakshaka Bala Mandalas would be held on August 7 to explore reforms.
Dissanayake stressed the urgent need for parental and religious leader involvement, adding that the erosion of values in society today is directly tied to our children growing up without spiritual guidance.
Leave a comment