A former Royal College principal defends maintenance of secular values in the school

I am aware that there has been much interest regarding preserving of secular values at Royal College, Colombo, during recent months. As the immediate past Principal of Royal College, I would like to share my observations, insights, and experiences on this matter.

My tenure as the Principal of Royal College was a relatively short one. I was in this position from November 2022 to August 2023. When I first came into Royal, I had no deep understanding or appreciation of the schools’ unique secular identity since its inception. My initial impressions were of an education institute that was committed to Buddhist ethos and rituals. The relevant symbolism was part and parcel of the school environment. As a new arrival I did not see the immediate need to challenge the status quo. This is how things have been around here, so let it continue.

However, a few months into my job I read an article titled “Erosion of Unique and Priceless Secularism of RC” written by an old Royalist. This was an eye opener. This was a school that commenced on a back verandah of a church. Despite the school’s earliest principals being Anglican priests, the school upheld its commitment to secular values. Its mission was to provide a holistic education that transcends religious affiliations. Secular values ensure that all students, regardless of their religious background, are treated equally and with respect. This fosters a sense of fairness and inclusivity, reducing the potential for discrimination or bias based on religion.

Also with a secular approach, the school can prioritize education without being entangled in religious matters. This allows educators to focus on academic excellence, critical thinking, and the development of essential skills.

My reading is that the current school community which includes students, parents, and teachers do not adequately understand what secularism is about. So, they do not comprehend what needs to be changed and why?

The first step towards rebuilding secular values is about creating awareness. All stakeholders should be made aware of the history of Royal College particularly in relation to its unique and unmatched secularism. The school was never made a religious entity. No religion was given prominence and each faith was encouraged to celebrate their festivals without damaging the secular fabric. A brief message must be composed highlighting its secular character and the importance of safeguarding its unique inheritance and distributed to all teachers, parents, and RCU members.

There is a need to initiate open and constructive dialogues with the school’s administration, teachers, and current students. They can share their experiences and concerns regarding the importance of secularism and religious neutrality in education. The principal can initiate action to minimize current rituals and not permitting any new ones. These are some suggestions for consideration:

▪ The recent additions were “Dalada Poojawa” – offering meals to the Temple of Tooth Relic, Exposition of Sacred Relics, and conducting a “Perahera” in connection with the all-night Pirith ceremony. Decision needs to be made whether they should be part of the secular fabric of the school.

▪ The monthly Sil program may be shifted to temples in the vicinity instead of being conducted within the school premises.▪ To prevent the collection of large sums of money in an ad hoc manner, the principal should introduce clear guidelines and rules relating to fund collection at the school. The organizers of all religious activities must submit an annual program with respective budgets.

▪ The school may have an annual religious calendar which maps out multi-religious activities throughout the year.

▪ Offering daily meals to Bhikku-teachers may be restricted to grades above the Primary, because it is in the primary school all these extravaganzas are enacted. The meals need not be elaborate affairs. Those parents who volunteer to offer food can make early payments to the canteen who can then provide standard meals similar to those enjoyed by rest of the staff and students.

▪ Removal of classroom statues can be launched at Grade one, six and 12. These are the grades new students enter. As such the new batch would start with a clean slate without a trace of what was there the previous year. When they graduate to the next year, those statues may be removed and, in a few years, every class room would be devoid of statues.

R M M Rathnayake

(Having passed the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service Exam in 1988, the writer initially assumed duties as principal of a national school in the Kandy education zone. He then served as principal of Galagedara Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Katugastota Rahula Vidyalaya, Maliyadeva College Kurunegala, Mahinda Rajapaksa Vidyalaya, Homagama and D. S Senanayake College in addition to serving in several key positions at the Education Ministry. It was in November 2022 that he accepted the post of Principal at Royal College, Colombo while serving as an Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Education. He retired from this position in August 2023).