was abolished soon after. Modernising the economic system. Education was taken over by the government from the church. Establishment of the Colombo Academy as the principal public school in the island. Protests launched by Lankans After the Colebrooke reforms of 1833 had been implemented, the Europeans who lived in the country launched protests demanding that certain reforms should be made to the Colebrooke constitution. These Europeans were the rich people who had come to Ceylon for planting crops and had engaged in plantation in the upcountry areas. By that time there had arisen the need for them to get the required funds allocated by the Legislative for developing the road system, postal and other services and facilities where their plantations were located. Three unofficial members had been appointed to the council represent these Europeans. However, they launched protests as the number of official members in the council was greater than the unofficial members and the Council had not been granted sufficient powers. In order to carry out these protests, they formed "Planters' Association of Ceylon" in 1856. Two prominent leaders of this association were William Digby and George Wall. At the beginning of the 20th Century, the middle class launched protests demanding constitutional reforms too. Out of the educated middle class who led the protests at the early stage, Ponnambalam Ramanathan, Ponnambalam Arunachalam, Sir James Peiris and H. G. C. Perera were prominent. Low Country Products Association of Ceylon, Chillaw Association and Jaffna Association were some of the leading associations that were formed by the middle class. It was Sir James Peiris who first submitted a formal memorandum to the Colonial Secretary in 1909 explaining the need for constitutional reforms. After that, several other petitions were submitted by various groups. Some of the reforms proposed are, increasing the number of unofficial members in the Council electing representatives to the legislative, and abolishing the communal representation system (since it led to various controversies between various ethnic groups in the country.) See also Executive Council of Ceylon Legislative Council of Ceylon Ceylon Civil Service Colombo Academy Charles Jeffries, Ceylon - The Path to Independence, Pall Mall Press, London, 1962, p. 24. References Sri Lankan commissions and inquiries British Ceylon period British Ceylon Education in Sri Lanka 1829 in Ceylon 1822 establishments in the British Empire