EDUCATION OVERHAUL?

Drastic changes are needed for our education system to improve

BY Goolbai Gunasekara

Changes are everywhere. At least the demand for change is everywhere. Our government is in upheaval, we are a bankrupt nation and our system of education is floundering badly.

Exams are being held with all sorts of drawbacks such as the lack of electricity, lack of paper and of course, lack of money. University students are protesting as usual but this time the whole matter of protest has taken a serious bent.

At last, the Department of Education seems to have realised that the universities have to be regulated far, far better than they are at present. The money being poured into them is simply not justified. There are no results at all except in one or two departments such as engineering and medicine. And even there, are we up to the standards of the rest of the world?

In fact, the money being spent on education has shown such poor results that a total change of system is now on the cards. So what does this mean?

Firstly, a change in the type of education being given is necessary. Mere academics will no longer prepare children to face the world. I cannot even begin to comprehend what exactly is needed but I do know that we don’t have the expertise in Sri Lanka to make this overhaul. A notable exception is Dr. Tara de Mel who is an expert but is not being consulted as she should be.

It is a great pity that, as usual, the same people connected with the government’s education policies will be asked to formulate this modern turnaround.

For some foolish reason, officials at the Department of Education will feel they are adequate to tackle the task of rehabilitating the entire system of education that has so far been a dismal failure despite auspicious beginnings.

To make a point, I would ask if they would be capable of setting Sri Lankan schools and colleges on the path of prosperity. This also means that these new pundits should be able to discard unnecessary subjects and introduce useful syllabuses, which will help in the future in terms of development, job availability, upgrading universities, strict rules of admission to universities and so on. In short, a complete switch from stupidity and chauvinism, to wisdom and a genuine desire to go forward.

Of course, the language that must come into use has to be English. Where do we have the technocrats who are able to translate textbooks or the money to successfully use a language that’s spoken only by a few million people and adapt it to a new education system? If true patriotism is to assert itself, then the time for it is now.

We need an education system that will unite all communities into being Sri Lankans. Our system is very divisive at the moment.

Sri Lanka should request help from countries that are sympathetic to our academic aspirations. Experts from abroad must be hired for a long stint in Sri Lanka as our students slowly adapt to this new system. And the whole process needs to be given time if it is to be thorough.

The national budget must provide a massive allocation of funds for education because we will need to pay these experts and finance the far-reaching changes being made.

Let all religious education be relegated to where it belongs – in our homes and not in schools. Let the temples, churches, mosques and so on begin religious instruction on their own. Religion taught in schools has been a miserable failure.

Crime and immorality have never been higher in Sri Lanka. Corruption is rife. Teaching religion has been such a waste of time and effort, and I am surprised that no one has realised this earlier. Let the parents and priests manage to inculcate moral behaviour in children if they can. It is their business after all – not that of the school.

Concentrate on the essentials of education and stop making issues of laughable topics. Let teachers wear what they like. No teacher is going to want to appear foolish in front of his or her students. Leave it to his or her common sense to dress appropriately.

Divorce politics from education. Make ministers visiting schools or giving out prizes an unnecessary exercise. There is no reason for any politician other than the Minister of Education to be concerned with schools and universities.

Let it be understood that this new system will be applied to everyone in the same way without quotas and other silly ideas that only favour the weak. Let the weak somehow rise to the required levels of competence, otherwise discrimination in reverse will continue to take place.

I have no idea how all this is going to be accomplished but I do know that unless we act drastically, we are most certainly doomed to a fourth-class rating in the world of education.