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Kumudini
Hettiarachchi looks at the hidden problem of domestic violence
She
sits in a corner of the office with her toddler on her lap. She
has returned from the police station after attending an inquiry.
Just 25, her married life is in shambles. The future looks bleak,
but she cannot go back to her husband and face the sexual perversions
he has subjected her to in the past six months. "We have
been married five years. Ours was a "prema sambandaya".
He was very helpful around the house at the beginning. Then he took
to drinking. He has assaulted me once or twice before, but I suffered
in silence. Now it has become impossible. He wants to do this and
that in an unnatural manner even in front of my little boy. He even
asks me to get my mother for him," sobs Kamani. How did the
perversions start? He watches "pieces" with his friends.
It costs only Rs. 15, she says, referring to blue films available
aplenty. "Then he comes home and wants me to do the same things
. He says I should behave like a prostitute and do all sorts of
strange things. When I refuse he threatens to kill me and hits me.
Once he spat into my cup of tea and forced me to drink it ."
There
are many reasons for violence against women, be it domestic or outside
the home. Executive Director Savithri Wijesekera of Women-In-Need
(WIN) which has taken Kamani under their care and given her temporary
shelter says an increase in violence against women has been recorded
by their organization. "Our client
numbers rose to 4037 in 2001 including 33 rape, seven incest and
17 sexual abuse cases. What we are not sure of is whether there
is more violence against women or more awareness which leads to
such cases being reported more often," Ms. Wijesekera explains. WIN launched
in 1987 originally began with crisis counselling for women battered
in their own homes, but later expanded to cover all forms of violence
against women and children. With centres
spread across the country in Colombo, Matara, Kandy and more recently
Badulla and Anuradhapura, WIN not only provides counselling, legal
aid and shelter to such victims, but also conducts prevention and
awareness campaigns. In March this
year, WIN went a step farther by opening a one-stop crisis centre
at the accident ward of the National Hospital in Colombo where they
provide counselling and if necessary legal assistance to victims
who seek treatment there, as the medical staff don't have much time
to sit down and talk to the victims quietly. "They treat their
physical injuries and refer them to us," explains Ms. Wijesekera.
More than 136
cases have been referred to the crisis centre within this short
period. In many cases
they are reluctant to accuse their husbands of battering them and
come up with such excuses as "vetuna" or "dore oluwa
happuna". "We see
more violent and vicious ways of battering. It may be a side effect
of the war," says Ms. Wijesekera, citing the case of a woman
whose hands were sliced with a sword by her husband. The man had
brought two swords into the house because there was a dispute with
the neighbours about the property boundary. In a drunken fit, the
man attacked his own wife with a sword not once but many times.
When she, a
mother of two teenage children and a five-year-old, was taken to
hospital one hand was severed so badly that it seemed as though
it was hanging from a thread. It is not only
physical abuse that women and children face, but also sexual abuse
including deviant behaviour such as sadism and perversions. "When
girls who are brought up very conservatively suddenly face such
behaviour they are devastated. They can't cope," says Ms. Wijesekera.The
cases handled by the WIN team comprising Dilkie de Alwis, Lucille
Fernando, Nandanie Patabendige and Sumithra Fernando. are numerous.The
abusers come from all strata of society, and not only from the poorer
sections as is the misconception. "There are professionals
such as doctors and lawyers, academics, teachers and service personnel.
You name them. We've seen the victims," says Ms. Wijesekera.
What are the
reasons for violence against women and children? Sometimes,
as the WIN team stresses, it is violence repeating itself. If a
child sees his mother being assaulted by his father he assumes that
is the norm and may resort to violence when he grows up. In some,
it could be due to a psychological problem and in others because
a man wants to show off his masculinity and his power. The husband
may also be having an extramarital affair and resenting his wife's
questions. The tragedy is that most women in Sri Lanka are not ready to speak out against such brutality that occurs behind closed doors in their own homes. For most believe that it is a stigma, their own fault or simply karma. On
the road to the English medium
By Hiranthi
Fernando The A/L English
medium classes were started initially in several private schools
as well as in about 64 government schools in the country last year,
Mrs. Indrani Kariyawasam, Director Science at the Ministry of Education
said. "A survey was conducted among schools and they were asked
whether they had the resources to start the English medium class."
"Most
Science graduates were prepared to teach in English. Before classes
commenced, special language training courses were conducted for
these teachers at the National Institute of Education (NIE), to
enable them to handle teaching their subjects in English."
Ms. Kariyawasam
said seminars were also conducted area-wise for students, on the
different subjects in the English medium. One such seminar for students
in Colombo will be held at Royal College next week. The Asian Development
Bank (ADB) under the Education Modernisation Project, funded teacher
training and the provision of 22 textbooks to the government schools
that introduced the English medium A/L class. Teacher guides were
also given. "The courses are progressing smoothly although
some of the children are a little scared about doing the exam in
English," Mrs. Kariyawasam said.
Explained
Dr. G.L.S. Nanayakkara, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education
"Circulars were sent permitting schools to teach three subjects
in the English medium from Grade 6, if they had the resources and
the children were interested. This started as the Grade 6 Amity
School Project for schools, which had Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim
children.The idea was for them to study the three common subjects
together." "The prescribed
subjects are Maths, Environment Studies, Health & Physical Education.
In Grade 7, Environment Studies breaks up into Science & Technology
and Social Studies & History. They are awaiting cabinet approval
to a start a Commerce class in English," he said. "Textbooks
for Grade 6 have been translated," Dr. Nanayakkara said "and
will be revised and reprinted next year. Schools that are eligible
to get their textbooks from the Ministry could request for the English
textbooks too." But how has
the English medium been viewed by the students themselves? Fears
that their chances of university admission would be adversely affected
by doing the A/L exam in the English medium seem to have surfaced
mainly among students in schools outside the capital. The Principal
of Anuradhapura MMV Mr. Wipulasena Rajapakse said that though they
had started the Grade 12 English medium Science and Maths class
with 38 students last year, this year, the intake had dropped to
24. He felt this was because tutories in the area were carrying
out propaganda against the English medium, creating fear in the
minds of the children that their marks would be reduced. On the contrary,
Mr. Rajapakse said that in the school examinations held so far the
students in their English medium had performed very well, many of
them obtaining higher marks than students in the Sinhala and Tamil
medium. "Parents
and children must understand that competence in English is necessary
for employment today," Mr. Rajapakse said. "They should
make use of this opportunity given to them. We are preparing to
start a Grade 6 class with the main subjects Maths, Environment
Studies, Health & Physical Education in the English medium,
next year. The zonal director has promised to send teachers."
Maliyadeva
Boys' School in Kurunegala faced a similar situation with regards
to the A/L classes. "The children are uncertain whether this
system will continue and whether they will obtain the required marks
in a very competitive examination,"said Principal, Mr. R.M.M.
Ratnayake. "There are people who instill this fear in the children
because the numbers in their tuition classes will reduce. However,
the government circular that they could still write their answers
in Sinhala or Tamil if they wished to, has eased the situation." Mr. Ratnayake
said they did not have a problem with teachers so far.They have
also started three English medium classes of 45 students in Grade
6, with Environment Studies, Maths and Health Science in English.
At this level there is much more enthusiasm, he said. "We have
five classes in Grade 5. They are all asking for the English medium
next year." Maliyadeva is also looking into the possibility
of starting Grade 1 English medium classes. "The Grade
12 A/L Science and Maths class has been met with a lot of enthusiasm,"
said Mr. R.P. Somaratne, Principal of Madampe MMV. "Only two
schools in the Puttalam district started it. Due to various reasons
the children went back to their original medium. They had fears
because extra tuition classes were not available in the English
medium. "However,
the Grade 6 class is progressing well. We selected 35 children and
started the Grade 6 class with three subjects in English. At this
level they have no fears because they do not have to face a public
exam for several years." The Year 12
A/Level Science and Maths class started at Hindu College Jaffna,
last year with eight students, reduced to two students within a
few days. "They are worried that they will not achieve the
required cut off marks for university admission," said Principal
S. Thandayuthapani. "They feel their writing ability is lower
in English than in their mother tongue. We are not against the English
medium but starting it is difficult. We have no text books and are
short of suitable teachers. Being a national school, teachers have
to be appointed from Colombo and not by the Zonal Director." At national
schools such as Rahula College in Matara and Dharmaraja College
in Kandy, the A'Level English medium classes are functioning smoothly.
The numbers of students opting for the English medium have increased
from last year. "To progress further we need more teachers
trained in English," said Mr. S.K. Weerakoon, Deputy Principal,
Dharmaraja College. "However, the children are very keen and
parents are asking for it." "I think
it will be a success as more children are applying for the English
medium next year,". Mr. Kithsiri Liyanagamage, Principal, Rahula
College said. In Colombo
schools, be it government, private or assisted, the English medium
A/ Level classes the demand is great but schools do face difficulties
in recruiting suitable teachers. Mr. A. S. Hewage, Principal of
D.S. Senanayake School, said they have about 60 students in the
Grade 12 class and about 70 in the Grade 13 class. They also have
a Commerce class with 15 students. The Grade 6 English medium is
also in progress with two classes of 40 students each . "There
is a great demand for the English medium class in Grade 6. Next
year we will go on to Grade 7. "We are
also trying to start in Grade 1 but there 4have been no directives
about this so far," Mr. Hewage said. If they get approval,
the school is also considering starting a London A' Level class.
" Visakha Vidyalaya
also has about 30 students each in Grade 12 and 13 and will be starting
Grade 6 and 7 next year. "We have no problem with teachers
as we have qualified teachers who can teach in the English medium,"
Ms. Mallika Silva, Deputy Principal said. At Devi Balika School,
although there is a big demand for the English medium in Grade 6
the lack of English trained teachers is a drawback. Private schools
are coping too and some also have a Commerce and Arts class and
are hoping to get approval for these students to sit the A'Level
as school candidates. Some have started the English medium in Grade
1 and 2 and some in Grade 6. The biggest hurdle the principals say
is the lack of textbooks in English. Sr. Canice, Principal of Holy
Family Convent said "Some private schools are getting together
and translating the textbooks for the lower grades." One of the
schools that has not introduced the English medium is S. Thomas
Prep, Kollupitiya. Headmaster. Mr. Y. Casie Chetty said "Recruiting
competent, qualified teachers is a problem because we cannot offer
the salaries that international schools pay." With the open economy and increasing globalization, the importance of English as an international language, and essential language for commerce is indisputable. International schools offering an English education have mushroomed all over the country. Despite the high fees charged, increasing numbers of Sri Lankan students enrol, underlining the need and desire for competence in English. In this context the introduction of an English medium to local schools provides opportunities of English education to students who cannot afford to attend an international school. As in any new project, teething problems would crop up. When the medium of instruction for the Science stream changed from English to Sinhala and Tamil too, there were problems regarding textbooks and teachers. However, if these drawbacks are overcome, Sri Lankan children would have equal opportunities of studying in a medium of their choice. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
