Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has voiced strong opposition to a set of education reforms introduced by the government, claiming they undermine parents’ fundamental rights over the upbringing of their children.
Speaking at a ceremony held yesterday at St. Joseph’s Church in Pahathgama, Hanwella, the Cardinal raised concerns over a newly developed sex education curriculum, alleging that it introduces what he described as “abnormalities” to children from as young as six years old.
Addressing the congregation, he warned that several programmes currently operating in society pose a threat to the stability of married life. He argued that the new curriculum promoted by the Ministry of Education conveys to children that certain behaviours are acceptable, thereby weakening the traditional authority and role of parents.
“We cannot accept an education reform system that strips parents of their rights,” the Cardinal said, noting that Sri Lanka has a long-standing cultural and civilisational heritage shaped by Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Christian values, along with established social norms and laws governing marriage, family life and child upbringing.
The Archbishop also cautioned political leaders against compromising the country’s cultural identity in exchange for financial assistance. He claimed that international organisations, including the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, are exerting pressure on Sri Lanka to adopt what he described as misguided attitudes in return for funding.
“If we abandon our principles simply to receive money from the Western world, then no government has the moral right to govern this country,” he said, urging political leaders to act within their legitimate authority and refrain from interfering in matters beyond their mandate.
Concluding his remarks, Cardinal Ranjith acknowledged that children possess human rights but stressed that these rights should not be used to alienate children from their parents or erode the religious and cultural foundations of the family. He emphasized that the parent-child relationship should be grounded in love, guidance and mutual respect, rather than systems that encourage division or disobedience.
