[1][2] He began a Central Colleges scheme, which established high quality secondary schools for the benefit of thousands of underprivileged students in the rural parts of the country.

[1][3][4] Christopher William Wijekoon Kannangara was born on 13 October 1884, at Wee Badu Walawwa (his maternal ancestral home) in the village of Wewala, off Hikkaduwa (වී බදු වලව්ව, වෑවල, හික්කඩුව) in the Southern Province of Ceylon.

[5] Kannangara received his primary education at the free Wesleyan Missionary School, and his achievements were brought to the attention of the Rev.

[7] Kannangara was regarded as an excellent all-round student at Richmond, leading the Ceylon and British Empire list in Mathematics at the Cambridge Senior Examination in 1903.

[8] He also captained Richmond College in first eleven cricket in 1903, and was a member of the school soccer team the same year, winning colours for his performances.

[9] Kannangara joined Anagarika Dharmapala's historically significant temperance movement, and worked actively with its leaders, including Sir D.B.

[9] His kinsman and Legislative Council member for the Southern Province O. C. Tillekeratne died on 13 April 1923 in a fatal train accident at the Wellawatte station.

[11] The new system was expected to ensure that education was provided with equal opportunities for all children in the country, irrespective of social class, economic condition, religion and ethnic origin.

[11] Although the education in vernacular schools had been free prior to the reforms (with government grants covering the cost of teaching and local philanthropists providing for buildings, equipment and books), it was not standardised.

Among the reforms introduced, which came into operation on 1 October 1945,[6] were to make education free of charge for all students, to ensure that every student was provided with instruction in the religion of his/her parents, to protect teachers from exploitation by school managers by having their wages paid directly by the government, and to make adequate provisions for adult education in the country.

[11] Kannagara established a series of central schools (Madhya Vidhyala), modelled on Royal College, Colombo, in locations outside major cities.

[4] While he laid emphasis on teaching Swabasha (native languages) in schools, he also advised that students should learn English to compete in the modern world.

[2][13] Kannangara spoke for six and a half hours to convince other members of the council to vote for the bill, and was supported in his efforts by H. W. Amarasuriya, Dudley Senanayake, J. R. Jayewardene, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, Dr. N. M. Perera and others.

[2][6] His achievements in the State Council in the field of Education did not however translate to popularity among the people of his electorate, and he lost his seat in parliament in the General Elections of 1947.

He was defeated in the poll for the Matugama electorate by Wilmot A. Perera, the founder of the popular local school Sri Palee College.

Kannangara moved the following Motion: "This House is of the opinion that the public of Ceylon should fully support the efforts of the Lanka Dhammaduta Society for the establishment of the Sambuddhasasana in Germany and propagate Buddhism in Europe".

He therefore urged that all Buddhists should back the Society in every way in order to help it to establish the Buddhasasana firmly in Germany He showed his unstinting support for the cause of Buddhist missionary work in the West by attending several of the public meetings of this Society namely the launch of the One Million Rupee Fund (Dasa Laksha Aramudala) held at the Colombo Town Hall on 6 September 1954 which was presided by Hon.

Dudley Senanayake (then an ex Prime Minister of Ceylon) and the opening of the new Headquarters of the German Dharmaduta Society at 417, Bullers Road, Colombo 07, by Hon.

Kannangara, in his capacity as the Minister of Local Government attended the opening ceremony of the Sixth Buddhist Council in Rangoon, Burma which commenced on 17 May 1954 and he read out the Message of Right Hon.

[7] His remains were cremated according to traditional Buddhist rites at the Anderson Golf Links which later became the site of the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07.

[15] A new book under the title 'No Pearl of Greater Price' being a biography of C.W.W Kannangara written by the erudite Buddhist Scholar Dr. Ananda Guruge was released on 28 December 2013 at a public meeting held at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress Auditorium He married Edith Weerasooria, daughter of Gate Mudliyar James Charles Weerasooria, Mudliyar of the Kandy Kachcheri and the aunt of N.E.Weerasooria, QC of Lake Cottage, Kandy on 4 December 1922.

Born in 1894 in a small village in Ambalangoda, he faced numerous challenges in his early life, which fueled his determination to ensure that others would not suffer the same educational disadvantages.

In addition to these significant measures, Kannangara also advocated for a curriculum that was relevant and comprehensive, ensuring that students received a well-rounded education.

Kannangara's efforts have left an enduring impact on Sri Lanka, making education a cornerstone of the nation's development.