Colombo, Jan 2: Sri Lankan authorities have opened a criminal and administrative investigation after an official English syllabus for Grade Six students was found to contain a reference to an inappropriate online platform, prompting concerns over content vetting in the country’s education system.
The syllabus, intended for children aged 11 and 12, included a suggestion directing students to an external chat website as part of an exercise to improve language skills. Officials later determined that the platform hosted adult-oriented content unsuitable for minors.
Following the discovery, the Education Ministry lodged a formal complaint with the police and launched an internal inquiry to determine how the material passed through multiple levels of review. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission was instructed to restrict local access to the website as a precautionary measure.
Education officials said the page containing the reference was removed from approximately 400,000 printed copies before they were distributed to schools ahead of the new academic term. The ministry confirmed that the syllabus had undergone several rounds of evaluation by subject experts, but the issue was not identified during the approval process.
Authorities also acknowledged that digital tools, including artificial intelligence-based platforms, were used during the preparation of the document, which has since been criticised for additional errors such as spelling mistakes.
The incident has sparked public debate at a sensitive time for the education sector, which is undergoing curriculum reforms. It has also drawn attention to broader social and legal tensions in Sri Lanka, where same-sex relations remain criminalised under existing laws, despite limited enforcement in recent years.
Amid the fallout, the head of the National Institute of Education has stepped aside pending the outcome of the investigations. Officials have indicated that both disciplinary action and procedural changes will be considered once inquiries are completed.
