This conference paper by Dr. Donna Vaughan, President of PIMD, on the subject of language policy in Sri Lanka, was presented at the Human Development and Capability Association (HDCA) Conference in September 2022. The paper traces the history of language policy in Sri Lanka, its impact on language in education policy and social divisions. The paper argues for preservation of mother-tongue as medium of instruction in primary grades and a more pedagogically sound approach to the introduction of other languages in schools. The paper can be found on ResearchGate.