Video: Education blunders led to terrorism - Ranil

20 August 2012 08:36 am - 33 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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United National Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said today education blunders in the North was one of the main reason that led to terrorism in Sri Lanka.

He told a news conference the government should keep in mind that the arms struggle in the North began with students being unable to enter universities.
“This happened in 1973, 1974 and 1975. The government should keep this in mind,” he said.

TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran said the northern students were highly disturbed and distressed when they were unable to enter university. He said well-to-do parents sent their children to Britain for higher education.

“The first student organisations happened to be the General Union of Eelam Students (GUES) and Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS). They became the first two armed groups. Till then the Tamil struggle was handled by the political leadership. The youth did not get involved,” he said and added that his colleague and EPRLF leader Suresh Premachandran was also one of those educated in Britain and had abandoned his studies to gain military training in Palestine.

Mr. Wikremesinghe said the opposition had suggested a parliamentary select committee to probe the Department of Examination to determine the causes of the present crisis with regard to the GCE A/L Examination.

Former High Court Judge W.M.P.B. Warawewa said education blunders in this country were not only highlighted by opposition political parties but was a burning issue faced by the people.

“It is not a problem faced by a few. It hurts the whole country. If this continues, universities, schools and the whole education sector will have to close down,” he said and added that as a move towards resolving these issues a ‘sathya kriyawa’ will be organized. (Yohan Perera & Nishan Casseem) (Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana)

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Comments - 33

Samantha Tuesday, 21 August 2012 01:44 AM

If he is that much strong leader why couldnt he organise his party to win in last 20 years ....

Ranjith Monday, 20 August 2012 11:29 AM

What did the other one do when he was Labour Minister. Ask from CBK what he is good at. Other person to ask that question was LW.

Sri Lankan Monday, 20 August 2012 11:26 AM

Imran very true...

Fusion Monday, 20 August 2012 11:57 AM

Being unable to enter universities was one of the problems, but the main disaster was the 1956 Sinhala only act, which caused a chain reaction of events and your UNP regime put the final nail in the coffin in July 1983.

upul Monday, 20 August 2012 12:00 PM

Terrorism was further acute after introducing Executive Powers in Sri Lanka.

Nero Monday, 20 August 2012 01:41 PM

Yes, they may have on their own merits.

RamUk Monday, 20 August 2012 02:11 PM

lots of good comments coming on this forum well done for this open discussion

Jayantha Monday, 20 August 2012 01:58 PM

Every A - Grade school, irrespective of the location (City or Village) have the full Lab & Library facilities now.
Why discriminate City students from Village A-Level students now?

P.L.J.B.Palipana Monday, 20 August 2012 06:16 PM

Lot of Srilankan intelectuals abroad accept this reason.

RamUk Monday, 20 August 2012 11:13 AM

I have forgiven and moved on but never forgotten.. There is always time to move on and build a new relationship if other party is ready with genuine attitudes rather the suppressing thinking

bandara Tuesday, 21 August 2012 03:33 AM

any kind of reservation or preference for admission other than genuine merit is always a failure. Look at the countries where education is world renowned, they do not have any form of reservation/preference. These are political driven ideologies to catch votes and in the end the country bleeds

arp Tuesday, 21 August 2012 05:31 AM

I can remember when we were small the list of candidates who have been selected to the Universities by schoolwise published in the newspapers. That time one can see many tamil names amng the list of entrants. So we were dreaming of our names too coming in the papers. But, standerdisation came and our dream was scattered.

Real peace Tuesday, 21 August 2012 05:24 AM

Ranil, we like to see more of this from you. You are the voice of the voiceless people and we like to hear your voice loud and daunting to the regime. You can raise your voice on many, many issues in the country - please do it.

Professor Tuesday, 21 August 2012 05:45 AM

All the private tution classes in Colombo are overflowing with village students. Some live throughout the course in boarding places in the city and apply from the village and go back to the village only to sit for the A/L exam. Others come to Colombo on Friday night follow private tution classes during the weekend and go back to the village on Monday early morning. It is always the Colombo students who get discriminated. University admissions are not done according to genuine merit and the first attempt students are considered as the 2nd or 3rd shy repeaters.

Kumar Tuesday, 21 August 2012 09:19 AM

From 1970s onwards educated Tamils could not enter the Universities & now the educated Sinhalaies are encountering same problem by their own system.

samantha Monday, 20 August 2012 09:00 AM

Mr. RW just wakeup from a deep sleep .......

Nero Monday, 20 August 2012 11:17 AM

The actual struggle was cased in 1969 when the then government introduces promotional quotas for university admission based on race. So we see how politicians lie.

Navin Monday, 20 August 2012 11:07 AM

And the Minister of Education in 1983 was????

citizen junior Monday, 20 August 2012 11:24 AM

AND TERRORISM IN THE SOUTH ,WITH RANIL' S WHITE PAPER ON EDUCATIONS

CW Monday, 20 August 2012 11:24 AM

Hey Anil, Did you know that more Tamils from "ordinary tamil Schools" entered the Uni after the "standardisation" in the 70s?

Dayan Monday, 20 August 2012 11:12 AM

Ethnic quota was a 'SOLUTION TO THE SYSTEM and not the Solution to Problem and in a way it worked out as prior to this PAPER MARKERS from Non-majority ethnic groups were spending to time to complete answer sheets for their students to get through.

What about the Sinhala only act that led 3 insurgencies including ethnic war?

SudhuPancha Monday, 20 August 2012 11:16 AM

very true!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but very few ppl in SL can understand what he is saying, blinded by stupidity, false propaganda, patriotism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dayan Monday, 20 August 2012 11:03 AM

Very good comment

# sim Monday, 20 August 2012 10:47 AM

What did RW do when he was the Minister of Education?

ind Monday, 20 August 2012 10:45 AM

How about burning of Jaffna library and Jaffna election in 1981 ?

Andrew Pitugala Monday, 20 August 2012 10:09 AM

Many years too late. Many lives lost leaving behind a brutalised society. Present Ministers are hell bound on destroying what is left.

Anil Monday, 20 August 2012 10:12 AM

Terrorism started because of Sirimavo's standardisation policy. ie Ethnic quotas for university entrants

Dutugemunu-1 Monday, 20 August 2012 09:33 AM

what is his suggestion?Abolishing district quota and Z score should not be done without having a proper alternative.Other wise there will be another uprising in south.Because of the district quota system lot of students who did not have proper education facilities were able to get higher education. If not all the students from Colombo,Kandy,Jaffna Kurunegala Galle etc would have got that slots.

Imran Hussein Monday, 20 August 2012 09:09 AM

Some so called patriotic patients in coma should be woken up. RW is wide awake but many of us are so ignorant that we dont notice him.

Ranjith Monday, 20 August 2012 09:15 AM

You see it like that is b’cse no freedom of expression. You do not need any proof. Keep watching state controlled media

RamUk Monday, 20 August 2012 08:51 AM

It was the case in 1970's but is it the same now ? i would say again treat the Disease not the symptoms. I will let the citizens of mother Lanka to decide what is necessary to cure the Disease. If you give a wrong medicine again this will have bad reaction again may be not in your time but the generation to come.

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Video: Education blunders led to terrorism - Ranil

Comments - 33

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