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| Sunday, 12 May 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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'Education
reforms need of the hour'
All stakeholders of education at the first ever educational conference exchanged ideas and debated the importance of spreading awareness on the urgent need for change and timely action to reform the entire education system to suit the needs of the present day. Organised by the Human Resource and Education Committee of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the conference titled 'Efficiency, Effectiveness, Equity and Excellence - A Vision for Education' was held in Bentota last weekend. Senior Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund Dr Nadeem Ul Haque, presenting an international educationist's viewpoint, said that poor countries have created a distorted and muddled education system. "Without even realising it, we have created a powerful vested interest that has now for decades wilfully obstructed not only change, but also a meaningful debate on the subject." Education is a good investment and there are fairly substantial gains from education. Therefore, if children get a poor quality education for free, the whole society including the poor, governance and the budget, taxpayers and the economy have to pay the price. Though the poor get free education, their expectations of an improved standard of living is robbed from them. After spending years to educate children, they end up with cheap, low quality education that does not command market wages. Eventually, the children enter the educated unemployed pool and if lucky, end up in public sector employment. They are ruled out of lucrative multinational jobs as well as the global job market. Foreign graduates will have a steeper career profile, get more opportunities as well senior jobs such as the post of CEO. A foreign graduate, despite higher initial expenses, accumulate more wealth over a lifetime compared to locally educated counterparts. Therefore, the present education system does not provide equal opportunities, observed Dr Haque. Education reforms are an urgent need as education and human capital development are the most important determinants of sustained economic growth. He said that a poor quality education system may be one of the most important reasons why poor countries do not grow. JVP MP Bimal Ratnayaka told the conference that the education system should suit every citizen of the country and not an elite few. He said that privatisation of education is not the solution for all ills in the education system. He said the JVP is not against education reforms, but education is not a market. "Education should not be sold, but should be adopted to suit the needs of the modern day and given equally to all children of society," added the MP. He said that reduced government funding and different policies of consecutive governments are the main reasons for the poor quality of education. Addressing the issue of English, he said it is essential but it is not a reason for not having jobs. Expressing his views on private universities, he said that if they are established, it will further bring down the quality of education in the government institutions since the lecturers will be attracted to private universities which give them higher salaries and perks. Supun Walpola, expressing the students' viewpoint said that free education is good, but needs amendments to make it more market oriented. He said that though students have technical competencies, they lack confidence and the ability to adopt to the needs of the society. They should be guided to develop these skills without burdening them with more and more theory. He also made a humble request to free the university education system of politics which is a hinderance to education and the well-being of students. (SG) Government's point of view * Education system is outdated; reforms are necessary * Will consult all stakeholders before undertaking reforms * Recognises the need for a merit-based, transparent and rationalised system of education * No objections to private schools growing as long as they follow the national curriculum * Willing to open and make the higher education system attractive to foreign students while creating an environment for foreign universities to enter the system * Invite the private sector to invest in vocational training * Request the private sector to make some firm proposals Main opposition party viewpoint * Support education reforms introduced by the People's Alliance * Support public-private partnerships in IT and technical education * Expect State-owned institutions to work with autonomy and flexibility within the rules. |
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