{"id":150752,"date":"2025-07-17T16:33:24","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T23:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=150752"},"modified":"2025-07-17T16:33:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T23:33:24","slug":"is-the-prime-minister-replacing-buddhism-and-history-with-lgbtqia-ideology-in-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2025\/07\/17\/is-the-prime-minister-replacing-buddhism-and-history-with-lgbtqia-ideology-in-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Prime Minister Replacing Buddhism and History with LGBTQIA Ideology in Schools?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shenali Waduge<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The real crisis in Sri Lanka is not just economic \u2014 it\u2019s Moral and Spiritual. Sri Lanka\u2019s collapse runs deeper: a moral and spiritual decay that has eroded the soul of the nation. This decay didn\u2019t begin with inflation or debt. It began the day we abandoned our values, our identity, and our duty to uphold the principles that once shaped a disciplined, dignified society. It was that society that created the civilization that we are today ruining. Education is at the heart of this decay \u2014 and therefore, it must be at the heart of our revival. No one has the right to arbitrarily reform our education system without understanding the cultural, historical, and spiritual foundations of this nation. Reforms cannot be dictated by foreign funding agendas, global ideologies, or individuals disconnected from the psyche and values of the Sri Lankan people. Education must reflect who we are \u2014 not what others want us to be or become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We see it every day:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Corruption without conscience<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Youth without discipline<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Families without guidance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Schools without values<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Public spaces without respect<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Children exposed to sexual ideologies before they understand right from wrong<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Why this happened: A Systemic Betrayal of Article 9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This decay was not accidental. It was accelerated by decades of deliberate neglect, external interference, and the failure of successive governments \u2014 and their advisors \u2014 to foresee the consequences that would one day backfire on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    At its core, this decline is the direct result of the State\u2019s failure to uphold Article 9 of our Constitution, which explicitly mandates that Buddhism be accorded the foremost place and that the State must protect and foster the Buddha S\u0101sana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is not just a cultural matter \u2014 it is a constitutional mandate. Article 9 is not symbolic. It is binding. It is the moral anchor of the nation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Foreign Influence and the Erosion of Identity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For decades, this sacred duty has been neglected primarily due to foreign funding that forced successive governments to remove the teaching of history\/heritage while diluting the essence of Buddhism and the importance of the mother tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Govt apparatus failed to anticipate the domino effect this would have on society \u2013 no system can function effectively in a society that is morally, spiritually & physically corrupt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Parliament\u2019s Complicity in the Collapse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Today, we see the consequences of this neglect everywhere \u2014 from our homes and schools to the very halls of Parliament, where even Members of Parliament, themselves both products and victims of this long decay, are now complicit in dismantling what remains of our already fragile and vulnerable society. Their failure to live by the principles of the Buddha has blinded them to the harm they are causing \u2014 unable to discern right from wrong, they misuse their positions of power to make decisions that further erode the moral and spiritual fabric of the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The urgent call for Restraint and Reform<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In this climate of collapse, it is only those with the foresight to recognize the lurking dangers and the courage to call for restraint who must be urgently heard. Government programs that contribute to this erosion must be halted without delay \u2014 before the final nail is driven into the nation\u2019s coffin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Our History is Rooted in Buddhism \u2014 So is Our Future<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Our ancient Sinhale kings understood this clearly. They did not merely rule \u2014 they guarded the Buddha S\u0101sana and lived by its tenets. So did all citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Every one of them, from Dutugemunu to Parakramabahu, fought to preserve not only our unitary nation but also the sacred mission of protecting this land offered to the Buddha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Our gallant war heroes of yesteryears to the present, too, fought in the same spirit. When they battled the LTTE \u2014 they were not just defending territory. They were defending the Dharma, the peaceful coexistence of our people, and the very soul of our country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even in war, they acted with Buddhist compassion \u2014 sharing food with civilians, offering water to those held hostage by terrorists, often putting the lives of innocents before their own safety and even sacrificing their own lives to save another.
    This was not military training \u2014 this was Buddhist upbringing from their homes and temples. You will never witness a foreign military act in this manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This is what Buddhist education cultivates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Compassion (Karun\u0101)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Discipline (Vinaya)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Respect (G\u0101rava)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Selflessness (Anatt\u0101)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Wisdom (Pa\u00f1\u00f1\u0101)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Duty to Society (Samm\u0101 V\u0101y\u0101ma \/ Right Effort)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Mindfulness (Sati)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Gratitude (Katannuta)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Contentment (Santutthi)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Right Speech & Right Action (Samm\u0101 V\u0101c\u0101, Samm\u0101 Kammanta)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Restraint of the senses (Indriya-sa\u1e41vara)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Loving-kindness (Mett\u0101)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Equanimity (Upekkh\u0101)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      These qualities together cultivate a balanced, moral, and socially responsible individual \u2014 the exact opposite of the chaos and confusion being sown in today\u2019s ideological battlegrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This Foundation is being deliberately torn down<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The New Threat: A Curriculum of Collapse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The current Prime Minister \u2014 acting as Education Minister \u2014 is not reforming the education system.
      She is delivering the final blow to a nation already spiritually bleeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • By attempting to remove or dilute Buddhist education from schools,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • By trying to replace it with LGBTQIA+ ideology-based content,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • By demoting History to an elective subject so children no longer learn their heritage,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • She is actively and knowingly destroying the moral and national backbone of our future generations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        The Dangers of forgetting Our Roots<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        A child who does not know their roots is a lost soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        A nation without memory is a nation without meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        A nation that removes Buddhism and History from its classrooms is a nation that will soon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Normalize lust over restraint<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Promote identity confusion over inner clarity<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Breed selfishness over service<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Replace discipline with disorder<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Trade compassion for corruption<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Stop importing Foreign Curriculums \u2014 everything we need is already in the Dhamma<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Sri Lanka does not need imported ideologies or foreign-designed school curriculums that undermine our culture, confuse our children, and sever their connection to their roots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          We already possess the most time-tested, profound, and humane life-guiding philosophy known to humanity \u2014 the Buddha Dhamma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Yet today, foreign funding and overseas scholarships are being used as tools of influence, pressuring policymakers to compromise the national interest by diluting Buddhist teachings and distorting our nation\u2019s history in favor of liberal ideologies that do not align with our spiritual, moral, or cultural values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          At the same time, foreign narratives of our history are being quietly incorporated into educational texts and aggressively pushed through social media indoctrination \u2014 reshaping the minds of the next generation without public awareness or consent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          The Buddha gave us a complete Blueprint for Life<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          By oneself is evil done, by oneself is one defiled; by oneself is evil left undone, by oneself is one made pure.\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Dhammapada 165<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          The Buddha didn\u2019t leave us in confusion. He gave clear, step-by-step guidelines for personal development, for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Laypersons: With teachings on duties of children, parents, spouses, teachers, rulers, and citizens (e.g., Sigalovada Sutta)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Monks and clergy: With a discipline-focused Vinaya to live a life of simplicity, restraint, and compassion<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Leaders and rulers: With the Ten Royal Virtues (Dasa Raja Dharma) and policies for righteous governance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Dhamma is not Dogma \u2014 It\u2019s a Civic, Moral, and Universal Framework<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This is not religious dogma, nor is it about memorizing lines from holy books. Buddhist education is a moral and civic model \u2014 deeply rooted in compassion, mindfulness, duty, and wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Our children do not need to be taught foreign models of civics when everything they need to become ethical, responsible, and humane citizens is already found in the Dhamma. Buddha\u2019s Dhamma is for all to embrace without any form of discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            All that needs to be done is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • To integrate these teachings into school education \u2014 not as abstract ideas, but as practical life skills.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • To begin from the earliest years, even with toddlers, through stories, practice, and behavior modeling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • To ensure Buddhist values form the moral foundation of every subject, every classroom, and every child\u2019s thinking<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              The absence of these teachings is the true cause of our moral decline \u2014 not the lack of facilities or foreign investment. Teaching principles does not require grand auditoriums or modern luxuries. Buddhist education transcends social, economic, and institutional boundaries, because it is rooted in cultivating the individual \u2014 their conscience, their mind, and their path to inner liberation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Unlike doctrines that seek to elevate an external identity, the Buddha focused on the transformation of the self \u2014 not supremacy over others, but mastery over one\u2019s own thoughts, speech, and actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              The Battle for Language: Why Mother Tongue must come First<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              The importance of the mother tongue is not just emotional \u2014 it is educational and psychological. In any person\u2019s gravest hour \u2014 the first and last words they speak are in their mother tongue \u2014 it comes naturally (aiyo, amma, ammo etc)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              A child best absorbs values, culture, and wisdom through the language of the heart. The Buddha\u2019s Dhamma, the Jataka stories, the heritage of this land \u2014 all were carried through Sinhala and Tamil, rooted in native identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Children can and should learn multiple languages, especially English and international languages, but:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • The mother tongue must have pride of place in the curriculum<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • All core moral and cultural education \u2014 especially Dhamma \u2014 should be taught in the mother tongue first<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                A well-funded effort is underway to use media and influencers to make children feel ashamed of their mother tongue \u2014 a subtle but deliberate attempt to sever cultural roots. This is part of the bigger agenda funded to collapse Sri Lanka\u2019s society. Notice how many television programs are purposely mixing mother tongue with other languages \u2014 this is with intent to dilute the mother tongue incrementally. They also use prominent personalities to adopt such practices so youth copy them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The curriculum should be designed around our heritage, not in opposition to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                The LGBTQIA Curriculum Threat: Lessons from the West<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                In the West, so-called inclusive education\u201d has led to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                • Children being encouraged to question their gender at the age of 5<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Teenagers undergoing irreversible medical procedures and laterdetransitioning<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • A shocking rise inmental health issues<\/strong>, confusion, self-harm, and\u00a0suicide<\/strong>\u00a0among youth exposed to gender ideology<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Parents being criminalized for refusing to affirm a child\u2019s sudden gender claim<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  This curriculum is not liberation \u2014 it is psychological colonization<\/strong>. Is this what the PM is trying to do in Sri Lanka?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  In Sri Lanka, there is no transgender child crisis<\/strong>. Those who identify differently as adults do so out of social media influence, foreign-funded activism<\/strong>, or for financial incentives<\/strong>. Many who are born biologically ambiguous (eunuchs) have long held respected jobs in beauty and salon industries \u2014 and are valued for their skills, not their identity. We never judged or discriminated against them. We do not need identity politics imported from the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  What is now being promoted is fashion activism<\/strong>, not a genuine social issue. We must stop this before it breeds a generation of confusion and victimhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  We must reclaim Our Education \u2014 reclaim Our Future & our National Identity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \n
                  • No to foreign ideological experiments in our classrooms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • No to replacing Dhamma with LGBTQIA+ identity propaganda<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • No to erasing Buddhism and History from the curriculum<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • No to diminishing the importance of our mother tongue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    Instead, we demand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \n
                    • A return to Buddhist-based education from preschool upwards<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Curricula that reflect the wisdom of our ancestors<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Moral and civic values rooted in the Dhamma, family duties, and cultural pride<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • A trilingual system that empowers global literacy while preserving national identity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                      Our Duty \u2014 Like the Kings and War Heroes \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Let us resolve:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Just as the kings of Sinhale upheld the Dhamma and built righteous kingdoms\u2026
                      Just as our soldiers defended the nation and protected all communities with Buddhist compassion\u2026
                      We too must now protect our children from the curriculum corruption that is threatening their minds and souls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Let us rise to defend the Buddha S\u0101sana in schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Let us give our children wisdom, not confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Let us give them roots, not imported weeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      A Final Warning to Public Officials: You are Not Immune<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Let this serve as a solemn reminder to all public servants \u2014 elected representatives and officials alike \u2014 that the people are watching every decision being made & every action being taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Just as others are being summoned before the courts for violations of the Constitution & corruptions, those who undermine binding provision Article 9 \u2014 which mandates the protection and fostering of the Buddha S\u0101sana \u2014 must remember that such violations carry the gravest consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Violating Article 9 is not a policy error \u2014 it is a legal breach. The Constitution, the Penal Code, and civil liability laws are clear. If you enable the erosion of Buddhist education, heritage, or national identity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Then bullet-point the liabilities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        \n
                      • You may be charged under\u00a0Penal Code Chapter IX(Sections 158\u2013163)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • You are liable under the\u00a0State Liability Act<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • You may be sued under\u00a0delictual (tort) lawfor dereliction of statutory duty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      • Citizens may file\u00a0Fundamental Rights Petitionsunder\u00a0Article 126\u00a0against you<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                        Ultimately, the greatest innocence sacrificed<\/strong>, both legally and morally, is our children<\/strong>\u2014far more valuable than temporary political gain. Those who betray that sacred trust will face consequences under law and in history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Destroying a nation begins with destroying its foundation \u2014 and the most sacred asset of any nation is its children. Those who knowingly compromise their moral, cultural, and spiritual inheritance will not escape legal or moral accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Let Sri Lanka Rise \u2014 Through Her Own Wisdom<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Let Sri Lanka \u2013 Our Motherland Rise Again \u2014 not through imported ideologies, but through the wisdom that already lives in her soil, her temples, and her people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Dhammo ha ve rakkhati dhammac\u0101ri\u1e41.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        \u0db0\u0db8\u0dca\u0db8\u0ddd \u0dc4 \u0dc0\u0dd9 \u0dbb\u0d9a\u0dca\u0d9b\u0dad\u0dd2 \u0db0\u0db8\u0dca\u0db8\u0da0\u0dcf\u0dbb\u0dd2\u0d82<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        (The Dhamma protects one who practices it.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                        Shenali Waduge The real crisis in Sri Lanka is not just economic \u2014 it\u2019s Moral and Spiritual. Sri Lanka\u2019s collapse runs deeper: a moral and spiritual decay that has eroded the soul of the nation. This decay didn\u2019t begin with inflation or debt. It began the day we abandoned our values, our identity, and our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-150752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/150752\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=150752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=150752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}