EDUCATION IN GLOBALIZING SRI LANKA: THE CASE OF SRI LANKAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

Sri Lanka is a multi-cultural state comprising of four major ethnic groups speaking three languages. Post colonial Sri Lanka endorses free state-managed education in the vernacular languages. State owned, semi-governmental and private schools follow the National Curriculum under the Ministry for Education. In 1961, Sri Lanka banned the establishment of any new private schools in the country. Private schools started by Christian missionaries during British rule were seen to evoke colonial proelitist sentiments and symbolize a driving force for social stratification. However since this ban on private schools, there has been a profusion of institutions claiming to be 'International Schools' existing within a loophole in the legal framework. This research looks at the ramifications that international schools have for the state as well as the various stakeholders via a mixed method study conducted in four contrasting case studies and the Ministry for Education, Sri Lanka. The research explores the popularity, concerns and rationale behind this growing industry in contemporary globalizing Sri Lanka. The theoretical basis lies on Bourdieu's concepts of Social Reproduction Theory and Cultural Capital; the verdict being that English proficiency and foreign credentials allow for a competitive edge in neo-liberal times.