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No role for politics in education overhaul
View(s):Former and current parliamentarians and a past vice chancellor of the Jayawardenapura University said politics has no place in education reforms.
These comments were made during the launch of a book on education reforms by former education Minister Bandula Gunawardena.
Former presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe and speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, were in attendance.
Former minister Bandula Gunawardena said he decided to publish the book on Sri Lanka’s education reforms to remind the government some forgotten facts regarding modifications to the education system.
Anura Priyadharshana, Bandula Gunawardena and Prof Sudantha Liyanage. Pix by Nilan Maligaspe
As education minister during the second term of then president Mahinda Rajapaksa, the ministry wanted to make changes in the education system, which would not be affected when the government changes.
Mr Gunawardena said that he wanted to create a national education policy and appointed a special advisory committee of 23 at parliament. Members included Susil Pramajayantha, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Prof Thisssa Vitharana and Dr Sarath Amungugama.
He said that for over 33 days more than 1,000 people were called to the Parliament to lead evidence to the committee. Lecturers, professor, experts and trade unionists as well as politicians were called to Parliament to create a committee report. It was released in parliament on 21 August 2013. It is made up of changes in the education system according to evidence given by many people. The entire report on education reforms is re-published through his book,
“Many pages of the book is dedicated to the report, it comprises the evidence and decisions made at the committee, it even includes the signatures of all 23 members of the committee,’’ he said.
Dayasiri Jayasekara
Mr Gunawardena suggested that the committee report on education reforms be considered in future reforms.
He said 15-year old data have re-surfaced in the media as new statistics. Included in his book are 28 tables of such data he had tabled in parliament.
Former vice chancellor of Jayawardenapura University Prof Sudantha Liyanage addressing the event said a gradual increase of female students entering universities has been noted.
He said that when analysing the grade five scholarship, Ordinary Level and Advanced Level student numbers and performance, it was revealed that even though there was a similar number of male and female students, there are minute differences in performance. Advance Level student numbers show that males have dropped to 35%
Prof Liyanage said that when then Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena called to introduce technology subjects, he was intrigued as he was expecting to get the students who were leaving schools interested in school education, and added that Former President Ranil Wickeremesinghe’s 13 years of education concept where vocational training was introduced. He believes that this had also helped to retain 8,000 students in schools.
Former minister of vocational training Dullus Allahapperuma said the biggest issue in education was that the school classroom set up was the created during mid-20th century, the exam system and the curriculum too, were made at that time, even the policymakers and teachers came after that time but the students are from the 21th century.
“After identifying that issue, both Bandula Gunawaradena and I decided to create a new curriculum based on the job market, accordingly technology science stream was planned and implemented, yet there were several issues such as lack of teachers for engineering technology when the studies were to be initiated in 252 schools. Afterwards the issue was resolved by giving teachers from National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NITA), German tech, technical college and University of Vocational training.’’
For the first time in history, technology was taught in schools in 2013.
Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, former minister, said education reforms were mostly unsuccessful because of politicisation.
The old and weak education system should be renewed. Compared to foreign education systems, Sri Lanka is 50 years behind.
He said free education is no longer a valid concept. Parent’s drag their children to tuition classes from second grade and those classes have become large scale.
“Teachers’ most hated place is the provincial education office as their grievances are ignored. To change this system a huge amount of money and time is needed,’’ he said.
According to him, nonpolitical education reform is needed, while all political parties should be united on the matter.
He said that a national level fund should be created to finance the reforms and infrastructure development through the tax system and grants from donors.
Legislator Dayasiri Jayasekara said history and arts subjects have been removed, although the government claims that students have the option of choosing those subjects.
He said that the government was too late to undertake reforms from 2026. The next reforms would be in 2028. He called on the government to carry out reforms within two years.
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