Local government elections amid growing poverty

Central Bank’s data for 2020 indicated that primary school dropout rates increased from 8,834 in 2019 to 9,269 in 2020

The small band of activists who kept calling for the holding of the local government (LG) election need be congratulated. It was they who challenged past President Wickremesinghe’s decision to postpone the LG elections. Last September the Supreme Court ruled that former President Wickremesinghe violated fundamental rights when he postponed the country’s LG elections which was due in March 2023. 

The ruling party - one of the political parties who challenged the past president’s action- were quick to follow through and hold the elections as fixed by the Commissioner of Elections. Handing over of nominations was completed on 20 May and 165 parties and recognised groups have handed over nominations.

A total of 17,296,330 persons will be voting at the 7 May elections. It has been the pattern among local voters, to elect into power the ruling party during the mini-elections as they are commonly referred to as. The 2018 mini-election in that respect was an aberration. 

The present regime, elected just a few months ago has not had time to fulfill many of its election pledges. In fact one of its major promises was to challenge sections of the IMF deal -which though it helped the country out of its state of bankruptcy- unfairly burdened the poorer sections of the Lankan community.

However most people appear to accept that it is not economically possible to withdraw from the IMF deal at the present moment, and that it shouldn’t be held against the NPP/JVP government. However the other plan of the NPP government -to bring down the cost of living has not been a major success either.

Government has raised the wages of workers in the government sector. Yet a majority of workers are employed in the private sector. Their wages have not been raised since COVID struck. Many private sector establishments lowered the salaries they paid their workers. Even unionised workers were forced to accept wage cuts to keep their workplaces afloat. 

Unfortunately though five long years have passed since the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, many private sector workers still continue working at lower wages. At today’s costs, it would cost a family of four (father, mother and two children) over Rs. 150,000/- to provide three nutritious meals for their families. This does not take into account the medical costs, cost of clothes, transport or educational needs of children.

In other words a large section of our people are indebted and are living in hunger. A major section of workers from plantation workers, agricultural workers to workers in the cities are employed on a casual basis. They have no social security nor does the official banking sector offer them loans to tide over difficult periods in their lives.

They are dependent on private money lenders who charge exorbitant interests on loans. It is not surprising therefore that studies and reports indicate a rise in school dropouts. 

A study by the Ministry of Education found that 52% of school dropouts cited financial constraints as the main reason for leaving school. The International Federation of Red Cross and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society found that 7% of households in 10 estates said they had stopped their children’s education due to unaffordability. Central Bank’s data for 2020 indicated that primary school dropout rates increased from 8,834 in 2019 to 9,269 in 2020. 

Similarly according to the latest data from the Ministry of Education’s Annual School Census, Government school enrolment too has steadily decreased. Whereas 4,063,685 enrolled in in 2020, it has dropped to 3,882,688 in 2023.

With major opposition political parties presently entangled in internal power struggles, it is unlikely that they can give a fight to the government juggernaut at the upcoming LG elections. But the government needs to take note of this worsening situation. 

When students drop out without adequate education, they enter society without proper skills. In turn it leads to increasing social inequality. Reducing social inequities has been what the JVP/NPP coalition stood for. Winning or losing elections should not be its criteria. 

Is the present JVP/NPP government willing to help reduce inequities in society at the expense of winning an elections? That is the million dollar question.