Access to education services in post war Jaffna: The role of caste in Sri Lanka
Aftab Lall*
The equitable provision of and access to basic services to traditionally marginalised communities is a concern in post conflict contexts. One particular concern is caste-based discrimination.  In Sri Lanka, caste is a taboo subject and the subsequent silence around issues of caste and how it continues to exclude, marginalise and discriminate people in Sri Lanka needs to be urgently addressed through dialogue, debate and research.

This paper will specifically explore the ways in which caste shapes the provision and access to education in a low caste community in post war Jaffna. In Jaffna (capital city of the Northern Province), caste identity continues to shape access to educational institutions- both government and private. Barriers to entry to better schools not only limit options in further studies and employment, but also prevent school going children from completing secondary education; and reinforce historical legacies of marginalisation and exclusion.

Based on a two and half month ethnographic study, coupled with unstructured and informal interviews with service providers at district, divisional and local level; focus group discussions with men, women and children in the community, the paper will unpack some of the ways caste shapes access to education in Sri Lanka.
* Mr. Aftab Lall is a member of the Secure Livelihoods Consortium (SLRC) at Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), Sri Lanka.  He is currently working on issues of caste and access to basic services in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. His areas of interest are poverty, vulnerability, conflict and post conflict contexts.