Make free education more meaningful!

The goal is not to commercialise higher education but to expand access and elevate quality

The Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered on a Fundamental Rights petition filed by 66 graduates from foreign universities, observed that they too,  are proud citizens of this country, just like those graduating from state universities. It is a landmark observation by the highest court of Sri Lanka. Education is a fundamental right of individuals. It is a universally acknowledged right. Whatever the background, anyone is entitled to pursue education.

Unfortunately, Sri Lanka is a country afflicted with inequalities in its education system—both in schools and universities. There is a stark difference between opportunities for education in urban centres and the rural hinterlands. In the poverty-stricken rural areas, it is a daily challenge for children to commute the distance between their homes and schools. In some regions, they are escorted by adults to drive away wild elephants that roam here and there. Given the financially backward background of their parents, these children cannot supplement their knowledge gained at school by hiring private tutors. It is a completely different story in urban areas.

In developing policies, the government should bridge the gap that has long imperilled the education sector. The government should divert its resources to develop the school education sector more and more, ensuring equality.

Yet, in the higher education sector, private-sector investments should be encouraged as much as possible to create better higher education opportunities. The reality is that the government alone cannot meet the demand for university placements. Every year, tens of thousands of capable students are shut out of state universities due to limited capacity. Well over 100,000 students qualify for university entrance at the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination annually. However, state universities can absorb only around 40,000 of them given the limited number of slots. It has long been debated that the private sector should play a bigger role in the higher education sector. It already plays a role, but it should be enhanced under a modern regulatory framework that maintains quality and standards.

Private-sector participation becomes not only beneficial but essential. A competitive environment between state universities and private institutions can raise standards across the board. When both sectors coexist under a strong regulatory framework, students gain access to a wider spectrum of courses, higher-quality facilities and industry-relevant programmes. In such an ecosystem, the state focuses on academic excellence and research, while the private sector injects innovation, technology and global exposure.

Moreover, Sri Lanka should proactively attract reputable foreign universities to establish local campuses. Countries such as Malaysia, the UAE and Singapore transformed their education systems by inviting global institutions to operate within their borders. These partnerships raise academic benchmarks, introduce international teaching methods and reduce the need for students to spend exorbitant sums studying abroad. With a transparent process and quality regulators like the University Grants Commission (UGC) setting standards, foreign universities can add immense value without compromising national priorities.

The goal is not to commercialise higher education but to expand access and elevate quality. A well-structured environment where the state ensures equity and the private sector drives expansion will produce graduates who are globally competitive while remaining connected to local needs. Today, in the name of free education, only a handful of qualified students secure admission to the state university system. Moneyed students travel abroad or join private universities here, while the rest are left out. It is a bizarre situation. Instead, the government should allow fee-levying courses and facilitate students with loan schemes to finance their education. 

In the past, successive governments attempted to implement such reforms in the higher education sector but retreated in the face of political opposition. The current National People’s Power (NPP), then an opposition force, put a spanner in such reforms. The student unions affiliated with it demonstrated against these reforms in the name of protecting free education. In doing so, they helped create a system where a few study free of charge while many others languish without placements in the higher education sector.

The NPP is now the ruling party. As a policy, it now recognises the role of the private sector in the education sector. It is high time to speed up action.  The proposed regulatory mechanism should be evolved as soon as possible.  Otherwise, time runs out with more and more students joining the queue seeking placements.  Private sector involvement only makes  the right to  education  more meaningful.