Crisis in education

It was few years back that the World Bank published “Treasures of the Education System in Sri Lanka” an analytical study on ‘Restoring performance, Expanding Opportunities and Enhancing prospects’ for the future.

This report was received with mixed reactions and certain extremist political forces were highly critical of its contents and did not hesitate to organize mass protests through university students who innocently and ignorantly fall prey to politicians who only have one aim – ‘Power at any cost’.

Education has become such a complex problem that not only the qualified are shut of universities but even the initial step of finding a school for a beginner has become a major issue.

The World Bank report pays a tribute to the Sri Lanka education system for its success in providing widespread access to primary education and enabling the country to attain a high level of development for a low income country.

It goes on to say that unfortunately over the past 50 years the economic performance of the country lagged behind the pace of education development.

The poor economic growth resulted in insufficient resources for investment education.

Education is an indirect factor of production that creates wealth by way of skills and knowledge that’s required for development and now has also become an exportable commodity. It’s sustainable developments in keeping with the global changes are necessary for a country’s progress. The country is paying a heavy price for lack of foresight in this area reflected by unemployment (or unemployable) and mismatch of skills.

Many views have been expressed by eminent personalities on the current crisis. Renowned dramatist Henry Jayasena has rightfully questioned the failure of education authorities to develop schools over time to bring the present chaotic situation of schools for beginners to play.

It is the rightful wish of every parent to seek a good overall education for the child and hence will obviously look for schools that have the resources and attained the so called ‘Popular Status’. In the past the country was fortunate to have had far thinking visionaries who saw to the future and developed educational institutions to meet the emerging demand. In the early fifties Directors of Education (only one for the whole country) like T.D. Jayasuriya and S.F. De Silva sensing the increasing demand for Royal College took steps to set up Thurstan and Greenlands (now Issipatana) to cater for children of all communities. Then in the mid sixties during the period of revolutionary Education Minister I.M.R.A. Iriyagolle arrangements were made to set up schools like D.S. Senanayake and Mahanama. Then Sirimavo Bandaranaike Girls School was set up at the initiative then Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. In an era where politicization was in the back seat not only bricks and mortars but competent principals too were hand picked. These schools that commenced with humble beginnings were able to reach the present standards thanks to the untiring efforts of committed principals and teachers who worked with absolute devotion for the cause of education. Similarly privately owned schools too played significant role in the secondary school system until the schools take-over put an end to contribution from this sector.

Even within the city of Colombo there are many schools that could be easily upgraded to provide better facilities.

Most of the students to city schools travel from greater Colombo areas like Maharagama, Piliyandala, Kiribathgoda, Gampaha, Wattala and Ragama areas. Why cannot the education authorities initiate some action to set up new schools and the same applies to provincial capitals of Kandy, Galle, Matara, Kurunegala, etc. Admission crisis, teachers strikes, delays in appointing principals to fill the vacancies, etc clearly reflect the weakness of the education administration who seem to be plodding on a care and maintenance approach without any long term planning. Schools have attained ‘popular’ status mainly due to the generosity of parents and past pupils as the government cannot provide funds. It was in this background that the School Board system was introduced during President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s regime; however this too has died a natural death.

Recently Educationist Sujatha Gamage in a critical article brought home the effects of the stalled reforms and the lack of reforms in the present day.

Re-introduction of the English medium, scrutiny on malpractices on school admissions, Degree awarding status to private universities are some of them.

The tertiary education sector has been a subject matter in many discussions and the government cannot be expected to fund the whole system, if so why is there a reluctance to permit private universities to operate resulting in a massive outflow of funds and skills out of the country. It’s a pity that Sri Lankan students now even seek places in medical schools in countries like Nepal and Bangladesh when we could easily provide that facility here if not for the opposition from a minority.

Sri Lanka has just passed its 60th year of independence and it’s the right time for policy makers in education to give priority to the reforms required to meet the global challenges for the sake of the future generations.