Knowledge incompatible with educational qualifications

by Afreeha Jawad

Colombo University's senior sociologist Dr. Subangi Herath speaking to the Sunday Observer bemoaned the conferment of doctorates on people who are not academics which indeed goes against the academics who have laboured for it over the years. Instead, she believes their services could be recognised within that particular context.

In a bid to display educational titles the drive towards collecting as much every conceivable educational qualifications one can rest his/her hands on has today become a fad - the irony being the incompatibility of knowledge per se and the titles in hand. This sad state of affairs has afflicted not only the educational sphere but is widespread in other areas as well. For instance many of those that are designated to seats of authority do not carry with them the intellectual bearing that goes with that seat - how they get there is altogether a different story. Their pretence over mastery of all disciplines let alone the sordid state of what is their's has today become a national tragedy or still better a tragi/comedy.

Much water has flowed under the bridge since authority contained intellectual power.

The progressive increase in politicisation over the decades, significantly contributes to this sorrowful state of affairs among other. Sri Lanka being categorised as a failed state has been not one of an overnight making and all in political authority regardless of time period should therefore take on the blame for whatever has been Sri Lanka's failure.

In developed countries, noteworthy is the public sector's independence that has enabled the maintenance of what comes by way of standards. Universities remain free from the clutches of state interference. The press functions independently. So whatever be the inadequacies of policy makers, such attributes have helped and gone a long way into national development in those countries.

Talking to the Sunday Observer about this current trend, Colombo University's senior lecturer in sociology Dr. Subangi Herath said how people were no longer interested in what they learnt but only in the letters behind their names. Having said that, it is not surprising then, the hundreds of superficial educational institutions that keep mushrooming in and around Colombo and other towns to cater to this need because now it has become big money.

Quantity or quality

Where do we go from here? Into quantity or quality? Though quantity is not to be denied under present circumstances, quality too is not to be overlooked and particularly the state Universities must necessarily be cautious in not undermining the latter for the former.

The State University goals are far different from financially motivated educational institutions. The State Universities have been ground to intellectual ability. Yet in an environment of financial gain and a mismatch between titles and knowledge per se, it crossed writer mind how intellectual ability could be sustained even in State Universities what with the type of recruit getting onto the teaching staff of such institutions - certainly a mismatch between qualifications and knowledge per se.

Now has come the time for Universities to play a more significant role than ever before. The quality of recruitment was certainly not the bother and concern of olden day universities. Besides, it also had no job market to be worried about to fulfil undergrads' employment opportunities.

The job market she believes, along with what goes as specialisation and the collection of more and more educational qualifications being status symbols has affected our thinking about knowledge. For instance the status giving reference of veteran such as Praveena Gath Karuwa, Praveena Gaayakayaa and Praveena Kalaavedi totally effaces if not insults indepth knowledge. Such references used undeservedly even begets the true meaning of intellectuality.

Devaluing in depth study

"Everyone is a praveena or veteran", she said laughingly, "and we continue to devalue deep, in depth study of anything".

"Getting qualifications and considering the more qualified as the best is a misconception of knowledge considering the superficiality of knowledge embedded in the person concerned. Against this backdrop this writer was also reminded of those with no qualifications but into high posts that overestimate themselves and their abilities yet continue to remain their patronizing various shades of political colouring.

Getting into better qualifications is no bad idea if and when it is linked with knowledge. Otherwise we only mass produce qualified people who do not have the ability nor knowledge that should go with the qualifications. High level qualifications today lacks research and discipline in education. High brow qualifications are conferred on every Dick, Tom and Harry without any brains.

In recognition of services rendered, why do we have to confer the highest academic qualification?

Isn't there a way to recognise their services within that context? We as academics have sacrificed a good part of our lives for the sake of achieving, producing and transferring knowledge into the community. It is therefore state duty to respect that intellectuality and end this unwanted conferment of the highest degree," she added.

Dr. Herath also bemoaned how so-called intellectuals take the liberty of talking on subjects outside their area. "True, in the present context one cannot isolate disciplines. We have a vague conception of common sense knowledge and what learning is related to a particular discipline. But this doesn't mean we have authority to speak on issues of which we have common sense knowledge. I as a sociologist cannot speak on nuclear physics."

Dr. Herath then was more into research conscious endeavour which in the long run brings out the best of intellectuality in an individual even though he or she may lack high profile academic titles. Once again this is not to say that such titles are a revelation of intellectuality itself though it was so in a now buried past.

Recalling her postgraduate days in a Canadian university when a lecturer with masters qualification was invited to be on every Phd committee, she said, "This gentleman had no Phd but was a highly respected individual. He was all the time into reading, writing and research and was as a result a thorough bred intellectual. Here lies knowledge which we in Sri Lanka have missed out on," regretted Dr. Herath.

Writing books but no knowledge

Many people today are into writing books not to forget the academics as well to reach professor status. They keep churning out such. It is only the number of books one publishes that is passport to professorship. Ability today is judged only in numbers. One may write reams and reams and yet not produce intellectuality. What matters most is to dwell on a topic spending days and months till finally you produce just two pages. That's enough and this is what intellectuality is all about." At this point this writer asked Dr. Herath whether what is found today was mechanical intellectualization. "Why not?. That was the very term Max Weber the eminent sociologist used to describe it," she said.

Talking of weber and the current state of mediocrity she referred to one of his famous expressions:

"Do you in all conscience believe that you can stand seeing mediocrity after mediocrity year after year, climb beyond you without becoming embittered and without coming to grief. Naturally one always receives the answer, "Of course I live only for my calling." Yet, I have found says Weber only a few men could endure this situation without coming to grief.