Sri Lanka is hailed internationally for her achievements in literacy, access to education and equality of educational opportunity. However, progress has not been straightforward due to the complex interactions between politics, policy formulation, and the implementation of reforms. This dynamic process has often led to contradictory outcomes. This monograph describes and analyses the political drivers and context of educational reform from the colonial era to the present before an in-depth exploration of the origins and implementation of the comprehensive 1997 education reforms. There is a focus on the role of political will, and emphasis on the need for bi-partisan support for education policy. Much of the evidence has been drawn from extensive interviews with 20 senior members of Sri Lanka's education policy community. (Contains 3 footnotes, 4 figures, 1 table, and 2 boxes.)