Â鶹APP

Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara. Photo By Rangithab –

Top 10 Interesting Facts about C. W. W. Kannangara   

Dr. Cristopher William Wijekoon Kannangara was Sri Lanka’s Minister of Education and is considered the father of free education in Sri Lanka. He introduced extensive reforms in the country’s education sector and encouraged education for all children in society.   

He was a lawyer and politician who took part in Sri Lanka’s movement for independence in the early part of the 20th century. He became the first Minister of Education in the State Council of Ceylon.  

The nation owes a debt of gratitude to the great C.W.W. Kannangara for his role in introducing and implementing the free education policy in Sri Lanka. Here are the top 10 interesting facts about C. W. W. Kannangara. 

1. He Grew Up In A Household That Had Financial Hardships 

Kannangara was born on 13th October 1884 at Wewala, Hikkaduwa. His mum passed away when he was very young and so his father married another wife. He had 8 siblings, four from his mum and four from his step-mum. 

Unfortunately, his father who was the sole breadwinner lost his job. With a large family and so many mouths to feed, the financial hardship era began. Catering for basic needs became an uphill task and paying school fees was nearly impossible.  

2. He Was A Bright Student 

Family photograph of the Kannangara family in 1950. Photo By Rangithab – Wikimedia Commons

Kannangara was a very smart child. He was always topping his class and received numerous gifts. At one prizegiving event at the free Wesleyan Missionary School, his achievements were brought to the attention of Rev. J.H Darrel, who was the Principal of Richmond College, Galle. 

Darrel was the chief guest at the event when he noticed that most of the prizes were won by Kannangara. He was very impressed and even joked about getting a cart to carry all the books that the boy had won that day.  

When the headteacher explained the plight of the young Kannangara, Darrel gave the boy a chance to sit for the Richmond College Foundation scholarship exam. The young boy did very well that he not only received the scholarship but also an additional award for free board and lodging at Richmond College. 

3. Kannangara Was Multi-talented 

At Richmond College, young Kannangara was not only book smart but also excelled and won awards in other areas. He played soccer and cricket which he was captain of, and was also active in drama and debate clubs. 

He was the best in mathematics, not only at Richmond but the whole country and the British empire as well. Being admitted to the school was a very good thing for him. 

4. He Became A Teacher After School 

After graduating, he joined the teaching staff at Richmond College as a mathematics teacher. Kannangara then went on to teach mathematics at Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa, and later at Wesley College, Colombo.  

5. He Became A Lawyer

Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara. Photo By Rangithab –

While still teaching mathematics in different institutions, Kannangara was learning law. He did very well and passed the Proctor’s Intermediate examination in July 1908 and the Proctor’s Final examination two years later, thereby qualifying as a Proctor in 1910. That year he left Wesley College where he was teaching and went back to Galle, where he started his legal practice in civil law. 

At Galle, he was a good citizen that was actively involved in community leadership roles. He served as the secretary of Richmond College Old Boys Union, was a committee member of different clubs, was also Vice President of the Sinhalese Young Men’s Association plus other responsibilities. 

6. He Was A Father Of Two 

When Kannangara was 38 years, he married Edith Weerasooria on 4th December 1922. They had two children, a daughter and a son who became a doctor that specialized in Gynecology. They were born at a time when their father had joined active politics.  

Kannangara was against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. He was the General Secretary of the Temperance Union in Galle, which was a movement that promoted teetotalism. 

7. He Was A Legislative Council Member 

C. W. W. Kannangara Photo By Unknown –

Kannangara became a Legislative Council member for the Southern Province in May 1923 when a by-election was held after the incumbent died in a fatal train accident. He was reelected in the elections that followed. He was a good leader.  

Did you know that he was a member of the War Council during World War II? Now you know. 

8. Kannangara Was The First Minister of Education  

The Legislative Council was replaced by the State Council of Ceylon. He was elected to the State Council via universal suffrage. At the council, Kannangara was appointed as the first chairman of the Executive Committee of Education and thus became the first Minister of Education of Ceylon in 1931.  

He was re-elected in 1935 and again re-elected as Minister of Education. He held the position for 16 years until he lost his seat during the 1947 general election. Kannangara is remembered as the first minister to wear the National costume in the State Council. 

9. He Reformed The Education Sector 

Having grown up with a lot of financial problems, Dr. C. W. W. Kannangara adopted free education policy hoping to create not only social justice for all children but also an economy shaped by the work of an educated workforce. 

He built a series of central schools modeled on the Royal College, Colombo, in locations outside major cities. He also launched an annual scholarship program, which provided the opportunity for the 20 best performers of the scholarship exam to get free board and lodging in Central School hostels. 

Teachers now started being paid directly by the government and English started being taught to all children, not just the elite and privileged students among other positive changes.  

There was opposition from some socially and economically privileged groups including D.S. Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. But J. R. Jayewardene, Hon. S.W.R.D Bandaranaike and others supported the move. 

10. Kannangara Held Other Positions Before Retiring  

Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara. Photo By Rangithab –

After losing the elections in 1947, he was appointed as Ceylon’s Consul General to Indonesia. He vied again in the 1952 elections, and he won. He was appointed Minister of Housing and Local Government in the new cabinet of Dudley Senanayake and served as the Chief Government Whip.  

He retired from active politics in 1956 at the age of 72 years. Kannangara passed on at the Colombo General Hospital on 23rd September 1969. He was 85 years old. 

Several institutions are named after him, there is a statue at Parakramabahu Central College and he was awarded the doctor of letters by the Vidyodaya University. 

Kannangara truly is the father of free education. Because of this, Sri Lanka is listed among the most literate countries in Asia today.