Dr.C.W.W.Kannangara , born on October 13, 1884 - a hundred and twenty years ago at Randombe , a suburb of Ambalangoda to family of J.D.Wijekoon Kannangara of Loolbadduwa in Ittapana,Matugama in Kalutara District.
He obtained his primary education at Weslyan English High School at Ambalangoda and entered Richmond College, Galle.
He got Cambridge Local Junior in 1899 with distinction in mathematics and got through Cambridge Senior in 1901.
He Captained the Richmond Cricket Team and won his colours at football. He was also fine debater and an actor. After his studies he continued being appointed to the tutorial staff. After that he joined Prince of Wales College , Moratuwa, as a teacher in mathematics. Then he joined the staff of Wesley College and Methodist College ,Colombo.
He passed the Proctor's Intermediate Examination in the year 1908 and Proctor's Final in the Year 1910. He ended his role as a teacher at the Wesley College in the same year and commenced lucrative practice in law in Galle.
He entered the political arena in 1919. He married Edith Weerasuriya of Gate Mudliyar J. C. Weerasuriya of Kandy in 1922 and became a member of the Education Committee in the year 1929.
He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1923 as the member for Galle District filling the vacancy caused by the demise of Mr O.C. Tillekeratne. He became the President of the Ceylon National Congress in 1931 and was elected as the member for Galle under the Donoughmore Constitution at the first election to the State Council in the same year. Further, he was appointed the first Minister of Education, which he held up to the year 1947.
In 1943, as the Head of the Special Committee on Education recommended the free education system from kindergarten to the University Education. In the year 1943, he introduced the Free Education Bill in the State Council. Since then he had to face much inconveniences from many quarters. He spoke six and half hours to convince the other members to vote for the Bill.
He was also attacked by the media as well as the members during the debate of the Legislation on Education. Dr. Kannangara was supported by Messrs. Dudley Senanayake, A. Ranayake, J.R. Jayawardene, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, Dr. N.M. Perera.
Dr. E.W. Adikaram, Dr. G.P. Malalasekera and Mr L.H. Metthananda led the public campaign in support of Dr. Kannangara. After much debate, it was approved for implementation. On October 1, 1945 it came into operation.
The main were :I. Schools and training both state and denominational, will continue and the opening and running of new schools will be the responsibility of the state.
II. No school fee will be charged in the Government and assisted schools. Games Fees (up to Rs. 6/- annually could be collected).
III. Medium of instruction will be the mother tongue in the Primary School. The mother tongues and English could be used in the secondary classes. However, English was to be taught as a compulsory subject.
IV. Compulsory education should be from 5 - 16 years of age.
V. Religious education to be provided to children in all schools.
VI. Estate schools to be developed into state Primary Schools and integrated into the National Education System.
VII. Full salaries for teachers of all schools, state and assisted, should be paid by the state direct to the teachers.
VIII. Mid-day meals to be provided to the needy pupils.
IX. Adult education to be designed and developed.
The primary factor in the programme of implementation was the set-up of good schools and teaching staff well qualified, equal to those in the English schools.
Christopher William Wijekoon Kannangara, the Father of Free Education System in this country was honoured with a LLD (Honoris Causa) by the University of Ceylon and D LITT by the Vidyodaya University in 1961.
He breathed his last on September 23, 1969.
