By Dr Isuru U. Kariyawasam
Senior Lecturer,
Department of Botany,
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
[email protected]

At a time when biodiversity loss, climate change, and food insecurity dominate international headlines, and sustainable development are at the forefront of global priorities, it seems paradoxical that the systematic study of plants — botany — is quietly disappearing from high school syllabi across the world. Both globally and here in Sri Lanka, botany is gradually being absorbed into broader biology curricula, or worse, omitted altogether, raising serious concerns for the future. This shift is not just a curiosity of education policy; it is shaping a generation that is alarmingly disconnected from the very organisms that sustain life on Earth.

Recent research underscores this concern. A 2023 study published in BMC Biology Education found that only 9% of secondary school biology exam questions across ten countries pertained to plants. Meanwhile, a meta-analysis in New Phytologist (2022) documented declining enrolments in botany and plant taxonomy courses at universities globally, linking it to reduced curricular emphasis in schools.

Around the world, educators and scientists have sounded the alarm over what is sometimes called “plant blindness” — the tendency of people, especially urban populations, to overlook plants in favour of more charismatic fauna. Studies in the US, UK, and Australia have documented a steady reduction in botany-specific content in school syllabi. Biology courses overwhelmingly favour human physiology, genetics, and zoology, often relegating plants to a few cursory chapters.

For instance, a 2019 survey of secondary school biology curricula across several OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries found that less than 15% of biology syllabus time was dedicated to plant-related topics. Universities report that fewer students choose botany majors, leading to shortages of trained botanists — ironically, just as we need them most to tackle agricultural resilience, forest restoration, and conservation.

Sri Lanka’s experience mirrors this global trend but also has a unique historical arc. During the British colonial period, botany was a prominent part of school education. Many early syllabi (e.g. 1902 & 1921 Ceylon Education Codes) included separate subjects on botany and plant classification, reflecting both colonial interests in plantation crops and the global push for natural history education. Students examined local flora, collected specimens, and engaged with plant taxonomy.

By the 1990s, however, reforms gradually merged botany and zoology into a single subject: general biology. While intended to modernise science education, this merger drastically curtailed the depth of plant studies. A glance at our own G.C.E. Ordinary Level and Advanced Level biology syllabi reveals a disproportionate emphasis on human biology. Today, at G.C.E. A/L level, botany is reduced to a handful of chapters on plant histology, physiology, and reproduction, with scant attention to Sri Lanka’s astonishing plant diversity.

This shift is evident in our undergraduates. A 2021 survey conducted among first-year biology majors at two Sri Lankan universities revealed that fewer than 15% could identify even five common endemic plant species. Their understanding of fundamental plant taxonomy — once the backbone of biological education — was described by lecturers as “abysmal.”

The consequences ripple into higher education and research. Universities now struggle to fill botany specialisations, impacting critical fields such as conservation biology, plant systematics, and herbal pharmacognosy. Ironically, this occurs as Sri Lanka grapples with forest degradation and the need to sustainably harness its rich endemic flora.

Botany as a stand-alone subject, once offered alongside zoology, has all but disappeared from school syllabi. At A/L level, botany is merely a component within the broader biology syllabus. Consequently, fewer students develop a deep interest or expertise in plant sciences before entering university, affecting enrolment in specialising Honours Degrees in botany, plant biotechnology, and related fields.

This is not a uniquely Sri Lankan failing. International scholars warn of “plant blindness,” a term coined by Wandersee & Schussler, describing how humans fail to notice plants in their environment and undervalue their importance. A 2022 paper in Science Advances reported that biology textbooks worldwide devote less than 10% of pages to plants, despite plants constituting over 80% of Earth’s biomass.

Plants underpin life on Earth. They produce oxygen, regulate climate, stabilise soils, provide food, medicine, clothing, and shelter. In Sri Lanka, where over 1,400 plant species are endemic and traditional knowledge of medicinal plants is rich, understanding our flora is not merely academic — it is part of our cultural and economic heritage. Moreover, traditional knowledge systems, from Ayurveda to local agroforestry practices, hinge on a deep familiarity with plants. When the next generation is not taught to recognise even the common species around them, we sever links to this ecological and cultural inheritance.

Neglecting plant science education threatens our ability to conserve biodiversity, manage ecosystems, and innovate in agriculture and herbal industries. With climate variability already affecting tea, coconut, and rice yields, we need more — not fewer — young minds trained in plant science.

Internationally, there is growing recognition of this gap. Organizations such as the Botanical Society of America and campaigns like “Plant Love Stories” work to re-engage young people with plants. Initiatives such as the “Plants in Our World” curriculum in Europe and botanic garden outreach programs aim to restore balance. Some countries are revising curricula to integrate more ecological and plant-based studies.

Sri Lanka too must consider revising syllabi to reinstate rigorous botany components — from plant anatomy and systematics to field-based identification exercises. Reintroducing school herbaria, medicinal plant gardens, local flora surveys, and digital plant ID tools could stimulate interest. Universities could partner with schools for hands-on taxonomy workshops, reconnecting students with the extraordinary diversity outside their classroom doors.

As we confront environmental challenges that are inherently tied to plants — from deforestation to food insecurity — we cannot afford a generation indifferent to botany. Addressing this educational blind spot is essential not only for scientific advancement but for safeguarding our ecosystems and cultural legacy.

If we truly aim for a sustainable future, it is time to bring botany back to the centre stage of our classrooms, both globally and right here in Sri Lanka.