Many students fail to enter local universities in Sri Lanka: Where do they go from here?
View(s):In Sri Lanka, education is becoming tougher and tougher every year with new syllabuses evolving. Out of approximately 300,000 students who sit the GCE Advanced Level examination every year, only a limited number of around 22,000 students qualify to enter national universities including all streams of studies. Where and what do you think the rest of the students go and what do they do?
During a discussion with three personalities, S. Thomas’ College Chaplain Rev. Amal Fernando, Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services (Pvt) Ltd CEO, Aasim Mukthar and its Managing Director Arjun Dharmadasa, made the following remarks to the Business Times on the sidelines of the Adyapana Exhibition launch at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo last Tuesday.
One of them said that students put a lot of hard work and commitment in order to enter national universities. But because of limited capacity only a few lucky top students get the opportunity to enter local universities according to their ‘Z Score’. Stress and frustration are making students get fed up with the education system in Sri Lanka.
It was also mentioned that students who fail to enter national universities in their first attempt, either repeat the exam for another two or three years or get into private and foreign universities. Students who can afford to get into private and foreign universities will go ahead whereas students who cannot do so look for any jobs available regardless of the stream they chose for A/L.
Students get discouraged and frustrated after studying continuously for two years to sit for the A/L exam and not being able to enter local universities. Measures have to be taken by the government to implement a reasonable education system, not make exams tough and increase the pass mark enabling more students to enter local universities. It (current system) is discouraging the students, noted one of them.
There are many education exhibitions that take place in Sri Lanka, one in January for post O/L students and another for post A/L students in September. ‘Adyapana’ is one such exhibition which is taking place for the 10th consecutive time from October 2-4 at the BMICH in Colombo.
At the launch of the exhibition it was mentioned that career guidance seminars, workshops, presentations, job opportunities and 3D gaming zones will be showcased for students to explore and evaluate their career path in the future. Out of 150 stalls, already 65 per cent has been sold to educational institutions. School leavers, university students, teachers, lecturers and the general public can visit the exhibition.
The exhibition is seen as a central platform by students to pursue their education. Over 12,000 students visited last year’s exhibition during the course of three days. Despite the high level of competition and options available in the field of education, many students have continuously patronised the exhibition and have thereafter successfully pursued their visions.