Since the late 1970s, Sri Lanka has undergone a socio-economic transformation, shifting from a protectionist stance towards economic liberalization and increasing integration into the world economy. Through a systematic comparison of these periods of economic change, Angela Little and Siri Hettige examine the impact of this transformation on education, youth employment and equality of opportunity in Sri Lanka.

Over the period in question, this book charts Sri Lanka s shift from an agricultural economy to one dominated by services and manufacturing, a reduction in unemployment, rising...