s the Dailymirror said in an editorial last Monday, veteran educationist Prof. Nihal Amerasinghe has pointed out that Sri Lanka spends too little on education. The country’s public expenditure on education has remained low at around two per cent of GDP during the past decade and a half, compared to an average of 4-6 per cent in the rest of Asia.
The upshot of low investment in education means that school leavers are poorly prepared as they join the workforce or are unemployed. Albeit Sri Lanka has achieved high levels of literacy, it has not provided students with quality educational services such as – IT access, effective teaching and better math and science education – to participate successfully in the knowledge economy of the 21st Century.
As we enter the last two weeks of the campaign for the August 17 general election the two major alliances and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna have all pledged they would double and gradually increase to about six percent the budgetary allocation for education besides making other changes whereby for students hidden meanings would dawn on their readings. The ruling United National Front for Good Governance on July 23 presented a five point programme to build a new Sri Lanka in 60 months, which means its next five-year term in parliament. In terms of the programme, high priority will be given to education. The UNFGG says its vision and goals are to create a more educated and knowledge-rich generation.
All children will be given the opportunity to receive a higher education despite what their GCE Ordinary Level examination results are with a new education Act with six per cent of the GDP allocated for this vital sector. The plan also says UNFGG will set up 18 technical colleges with high standards, institutes to teach English because up to 40 percent of the students who sit the GCE O/L examination are known to have failed in the English language test. Going far and wide in high technology, the UNFGG has pledged to set up e-libraries whereby students will have access to the world’s best research books at their fingertips. A smart card IT package will be given to university students to buy laptops at low cost and have access to the internet free Wi-Fi zones in universities. In view of reports that 14 per cent of Sri Lanka’s children drop out of school before they reach the GCE O/L, education for all children will made compulsory for 13 years.
United People’s Freedom Alliance in a 12-point manifesto launched last Tuesday reiterates its commitment to free education and says education will be made compulsory for all children till they finish the GCE O/L examination. Interest-free loans will be provided from state banks to university students and all students who sit the GCE (A/L) examination to buy a computer. Students who fail Mathematics at the GCE (O/L) examination will be allowed to progress to Advanced Level education on condition that they complete O/L Mathematics within two years. A monthly allowance of Rs.5,000 will be given to all pre-school teachers, while an interest-free loan up to Rs.50,000 will be granted to all government-approved pre-schools to purchase teaching equipment.
"All children will be given the opportunity to receive a higher education despite what their GCE Ordinary Level examination results are with a new education Act with six per cent of the GDP allocated for this vital sector."
The JVP, claiming it is the conscience of the nation, says in its manifesto launched on July 22 that education will completely be the responsibility of the State. Equal right to education will be guaranteed as a fundamental right in the Constitution. The State will ensure a complete education, training and higher education to every person.The Constitution will guarantee free education to all from pre-school until university. The dividing of schools as provincial schools, national schools and navodya schools will be removed and the State will take over the responsibility of operating schools, higher education institutes and vocational training institutes.A State Education Commission consisting of veterans representing each subject will operate the country’s education. A minimum of 6% of the GDP will be allocated to the country’s education sector. Pre-school education will be assigned to the local government bodies.
The preparation of the curriculum and providing trained graduate teachers will be carried out by the State Education Commission. Primary education from the age of five till 12 and secondary education from the age of 13 till 16 will be made compulsory, the JVP says.With all these noble principles, policies and pledges being given to uplift education to the highest standards, we hope that in the next five years Sri Lanka will produce good citizens through an education not only of the mind but also an education of the heart.
