W. T. A. Leslie Fernando courtesy The Daily News

The 40th death anniversary of Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara, the father of the free education scheme that brought about a social revolution in Sri Lanka falls tomorrow. A great statesman and patriot, he was one of the galaxy of leaders who led the national movement to obtain independence for our country.

Christopher William Wijekone Kannangara was born on October 13, 1884 at Randombe in Ambalangoda. He had his early education at the Weslyan High school, Ambalangoda. He was 12 years, when his father, a native of Loolbedde in the Pas Yodun Korale lost his employment. This was a big blow to his family with six children, who had to struggle hard to keep both ends meet.

But Kannangara was courageous from the beginning. He wrested the much coveted Foundation scholarship and entered Richmond College, Galle. Richmond at that time was meant for the rich and Kannangara the poor boy from the village was often looked down upon. The experience in his young days might have induced Dr. Kannangara to fight so gallantly for free education in later years.

Although poor in wealth, young Kannangara was rich in talents. He was often the first in class and excelled in sports. In 1903, he passed the Cambridge Senior Examination, placed in the first division obtaining highest marks for arithmetic among students of the British Commonwealth.

After leaving the school he served as a teacher of Prince of Wales College. Moratuwa and then at Wesley College, Colombo. Sir Oliver Gunatilleke, a former Governor General in Sri Lanka was a pupil of his at Wesley. While teaching at Colombo, he attended the Law College and passed out as a lawyer in 1910.

He commenced his practice in Galle and soon earned a reputation as a clever lawyer. He defended the innocent people who were arrested during the unfortunate riots of 1915, without any remuneration.

Dr. Kannangara entered the national arena as an active member of the Temperance Movement initiated by patriots like F. R. Senanayake, Sir Baron Jayatilleka, D. S. Senanayake, Arthur V. Dias and Piyadasa Sirisena. He was also a founder member of the Ceylon National Congress, the main plank of which was to obtain independence for Sri Lanka.

In 1924 Dr. Kannangara was elected to the Legislative Council to represent the Galle District. In 1931, he was made the President of the Ceylon National Congress. In the same year he was elected to the State Council under the Donoughmore Constitution as the member for Galle. In 1936 he was again elected to the State Council but this time as the member for Matugama.

Kannangara was the Education Minister in the State Council from 1931 to 1947. During his term of office, far reaching changes were brought in the education sphere.

Free mid-day meal for schoolchildren, improvement of Pirivena education, establishment of the Peradeniya University and introduction of Central Schools were some of the measures implemented during his term. His greatest contribution undoubtedly was the Free Education Scheme.

Higher education at that time which was in English was a prerogative of the rich. Fees were charged for English education and University education was beyond the reach of even those with an average income. The poor had to be satisfied at most with secondary education. It was in this situation that on the initiative taken by A. Ratnayake, the member for Dumbara in the State Council that a special committee on education headed by Dr. Kannangara recommended free education.

Kannangara introduced the Education Bill that contained the Free Education Scheme on May 30, 1994 in one of the longest speeches in the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s legislature. When he concluded his speech on the adjourned day on June 2, 1994 he sat down under a thunderous applause. M. S. Aney, the Indian Government representative who had listened to the whole speech from the distinguished visitorsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ gallery immediately rushed downstairs, took Kannangara by both hands and said ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-You would have been worshipped as a God, had you been in India.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Nevertheless Kannangara had to face severe opposition for free education from the vested interests spearheaded by the then Catholic Church backed by the national press. They left no stone unturned to sabotage free education. Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara anticipated such opposition and was ready to meet them.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Some of the critics of free education specially the Catholic Church suggested that instead scholarships should be given to poor students selected by a competitive examination. This would have been mere patchwork to maintain the status quo.

The affluent with money, influence and better English would have easily outrivalled the poor in various fields. Dr. Kannangara and other sponsors of free education were too clever to be trapped in that manner.

Some others queried why free education should be extended to the rich. Dr. Kannangara who had to undergo many difficulties and suffer harassment as a poor student explained that he did not want to create a class distinction in education and create second class students.

There were some others that lamented that there would be no youth to pluck the yield in their estates. That was the very type of the inequality of opportunity the Free Education scheme aimed to eliminate.

Dr. Kannangara and his supporters carried out a vigorous campaign all over the country. They held meetings and answered all the arguments levelled against free education and dispelled its critics. They explained the benefits of free education to masses and generated a strong public opinion in its favour. In this endeavour, they were backed by the progressive Maha Sangha as well. Dr. Kannangara then won over the members of that august assembly and saw the Free Education Scheme passed in the State Council.

The Free Education scheme called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”The Pearl of Great PriceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ opened wide the doors of higher education to the poor. Education was made free from the kindergarten to the University. The parents of those offsprings who could not afford higher education to their clever children shed tears of joy.

Along with free education more and more Central schools were opened all over the country with a greater concentration on rural areas. Scholarships from the fifth standard upto the University providing free board and lodging besides free education were endowed on poor talented children selected by a competitive examination. Thus the way was prepared for those poor but clever children who earlier had only a bleak future to reap benefits of higher education.

Today, as a result of free education, there are University Dons, administrative officers, doctors, engineers, accountants, architects, judges and lawyers who hail from among the poor and humble citizens of this country.

However, his victory on free education was a personal disaster to Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara. When he contested the Matugama seat in 1947 General Election held two years after he introduced the free Education scheme he had to fight the election with his back to the wall. The leftist were influential in Matugama but they opposed him because he was the UNP candidate.

The UNP gave only lukeworm support to Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara because he was the Father of Free Education. The opponents of free education on the other hand pooled all their resources, spent money and resorted to everything to defeat him. Ultimately Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara lost the seat to Wilmot A. Perera an independent socialist.

In 1952 General Election, Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara was returned to Parliament as the Member for Agalawatta. But the vested interest saw to it that he was not made the Education Minister. We could see that the powers that tried to sabotage free education at that time is at it again. Now they set up International schools that come up like mushrooms and branches of private schools that charge lakhs on admissions in the name of donations. They are a real threat to free education.

Whatever the faults of the educational system like the necessity for tuition, preferential treatments to prestigious schools, political interference and corruption and challenges posed by private schools and international schools you could see the free education scheme yielding results for the benefit of the poor. Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara who was 60 years old when he introduced the Free Education scheme lived long till 85 years and was able to see the fruits of his remarkable endeavour and take pride of his achievement. He passed away on September 23, 1969 exactly 25 years after presenting that significant and far reaching piece of legislation – the Free Education Bill.

Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara was born poor and he died poor. In his long political career he never used his position to amass wealth. In his last years, he had to be assisted by a special grant from the State.

He is a great, colourful and illustrious statesman worthy of emulation by generations. He is enshrined with gratitude in the hearts of thousands of us who have benefited by free education. As long as free education lasts in our country, Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara would be venerated by the people in Sri Lanka.

The writer is a former High Court Judge and Vice-President of the Newman Society Alumni Association