Consumer Ombudsman Column
By National Consumer watch
Proliferation of foreign degrees into the country
Sri Lanka liberalised its economy as far back as 1978. However, the
education sector was not liberalised adequately even by now. Education is an
important aspect of Sri Lankan culture. This can be seen from the amount of
interest the parents have had for their children's education. All Sri
Lankans irrespective of their sub cultural back ground show the same regard
for their children's education.
Parents often mortgage their houses and properly in order to meet higher
educational needs of their children. On the other hand some parents
recklessly invest their retirement benefits drawn from EPF and ETF for their
children's higher education, to meet the high cost of foreign courses.
However the officials have not shown any interest in streamlining the degree
courses offered in Sri Lanka by local colleges and institutes in association
with foreign universities.
Educational authorities do not take any responsibility for discrepancies
in these courses, simply because they lack authority. Neither is any advice
made available to the parents. It is worthwhile to note the measures taken
by the government of Sri Lanka in initiating a mechanism to regulate the
affairs of international schools operating in Sri Lanka.
In the same way another regulative mechanism should be created to look in
to various aspects involving foreign degrees offered in Sri Lanka. The
government must publish a policy in this regard which will indicate the
foreign universities it accepts. Each year new institutions may be added to
this list. If a certain college in Sri Lanka is to offer a foreign degree to
Sri Lankan students, first and foremost the foreign university concerned
should be a university accepted as per the government's policy. If not the
degree should not be offered in Sri Lanka.
Educational authorities may initiate this through a gazette regulation.
Other aspects like qualifications of the lecturers, duration of the program
for bachelors and masters degree programs, adequate study facilities like
libraries, course materials, conduct of examinations, coverage of syllabuses
etc should be properly regulated and verified by this regulatory body for
foreign degrees offered in Sri Lanka.
The same scheme should be made available to supervise foreign diploma
programs offered in the country as well. The present situation is so
pathetic that some crook degree awarding institutions that operate in
Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya, Wellawatte and other areas of Sri Lanka do take
parents and children for a ride.
The main reason for the emergence this type of foreign university
affiliated degree programs in Sri Lanka the long delayed liberalisation of
the higher education field. Due to this our students are left with three
options, to pursue a degree course offered by a foreign university, to
follow a foreign degree course at a Sri Lankan college affiliated to a
foreign university, or to follow a degree course as an external student of a
state university. However all these options have lot of limitations,
especially following a degree course abroad or even at a Sri Lankan college
affiliated to a foreign university are costly due to high tuition fees.
Also this is not practicable to working people who want to study for a
degree course part time. External courses offered by the state universities
are not attractive as they are not supported by internal sessions and lack
recognition by employers.
Therefore, it is time that the Sri Lankan government liberalize long
delayed higher education Sri Lanka by enabling the Sri Lankan private higher
education sector to offer degrees of bachelors, masters and other
doctorates. This will be in the interest of the Sri Lankan parents who look
forward to provide their sons and daughters with a sound higher education up
to bachelors level upon completion of school education.
Student placement in foreign universities
One can see the number of advertisements that appear in local newspapers
announcing placement of students for foreign universities. Actually this is
mainly to attract parents who want to give their children a sound education
at any cost.
The universities that are advertised in the newspapers are not subjected
to any approval as recognised universities by any educational authority.
They may deceive the unnoticing parents who may be overwhelmed by the
information. The student placement centres in Sri Lanka should be duly
approved by the government of Sri Lanka as places offering valid placements
for recognized educational authority is willing to verify the information
presented.
National Qualifications Council of Sri Lanka (NQCSL)
During the past decade Sri Lanka has witnessed an emergence of a number
of private sector academic and vocational educational institutions. These
institutions offer courses in IT, Business Management, Insurance, Aviation,
Marine, Engineering, Human Sciences, Plant Sciences, etc. Their courses
include course work and training.
However the negative aspect is that sometimes these institutions are
managed and administered by people without proper academic background in
teaching. An educational institution is best run if it is managed by persons
with teaching experience.
The academic standards of non professional academic and vocational
programs offered in Sri Lanka (Certificates programs, Diploma programs,
degree programs etc.) are not up to the standards. Often the facilities like
library are only a matter of nominal nature. Other things like canteens,
toilets are not made available properly. Examination results are not
released on time.
One school offers a Diploma in Business Management and other diplomas and
certificate courses, upon completion a student gets a local Diploma, as per
the registration with Tertiary and Vocational Training Commission of Sri
Lanka.
Additionally a student is given an option of obtaining a ready made "UK
qualification" by paying a fee in sterling pounds. When the foreign
universities. Parents and students must take due precaution as no payment is
done, UK diploma can be obtained immediately from a UK College. Therefore it
is time that the government of Sri Lanka immediately takes measures to
establish a state body, "National Qualifications Council of Sri Lanka".
We are at 143A, Vajira Road, Colombo 5.
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