Monolingual graduates: Setbacks in store in the future

Pulse of the People by Ananda Kannangara

Higher Education Minister Prof. Visva Warnapala was of the view that Sri Lankan universities, once ranked among the best in Asia, are today, in the doldrums due to the poor behaviour of students. The 'Sunday Observer' last week sought the views of eminent personalities in the field of education on this crucial issue.

Higher Education Minister Prof. Viswa Warnapala bemoaned of the fact of deteriorating the standards in Sri Lankan Universities because of regular recurrences of agitation campaigns, by students which seem to have badly affected their academic careers.

Prof. Warnapala also put the blame on the non-academic staffers for their work stoppages, which could be another attributing factor. When asked about the contribution by the academics, Prof. Warnapala opined that both academics and the non-academics must be trilingual or, at least, they ought to be bilingual with an excellent command of English Language.

He said it was pathetic to note that majority of them were monolingual, either Sinhala or Tamil.

"This situation will be a stumbling block to their future prospects in this globalised world,"

Asked whether the Government was responsible to provide employment for the graduates, Prof. Warnapala rejected the claim and pointed out that universities were only higher teaching institutions and not job markets.

"They the graduates must find employment on their own without launching unnecessary protest campaigns, demanding that Government should provide them jobs," he added.

The Chancellor of the Sri Jayawardanapura University

Prof. Ven. Bellanwila Wimalaratana did not make any adverse remarks on the standards of our universities comparing them with some in the Asian region.

"I think our academics are giving an exemplary service towards the development of the university education by initiating numerous methods and programs".

"The main cause for the deteriorating university education standards was not only due to student agitations, but also due to politics that has crept into the administration. "Many students are encouraged by political elements to hold demonstrations and protest campaigns to achieve their demands over silly issues,".

The Ven. Thera further said he was totally set against freshers being ragged by the seniors and instead an environment must be created in the universities to eliminate inhuman and uncultured ragging.

Asked as to why in some universities the non-academic staffers are in the habit of resorting to work stoppages which tend to disrupt the education system eventually leading to closure of such universities, the Ven. Thera pointed the finger at the authorities who had failed to look into the problems like grievances related to their salary anomalies.

The Vice Chancellor, Colombo University, Prof. Tilak Hettiarachchi wished to remain silent on issues, standard of the education, the behaviour of students and also about the problems related to non-academic staffers, as he feared that his comments may be lead into a political issue.

He was not willing to make any comments to the media, anything related his university.

His inability to make a straight forward statement on various problems in the Colombo University, may be an eye opener for the authorities, who may in their endeavour to improve standards, zoom on the root cause.

Former Vice Chancellor of the Sri Jayawardanapura University, Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku said, "Being the Vice Chancellor of the Sri Jayawardanapura University for several years, I can say the standards of our universities cannot be poorly judged".

"For example, Colombo, Peradeniya, Moratuwa and Sri Jayawardanapura Universities are doing a find job in producing doctors, engineers, management accountants, lecturers, scientists who cater not only to the local service but also abroad," he said.

Dr. Kodituwakku too was concerned of the language barrier of the present day university student generation, who will feel the pinch in the globalised world.

Students who peruse higher studies in the universities are monolingual which will affect them badly in their future aspiration, he grieved.Lecturer at the Sabaragamuwa University, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinhe wants a new concept to be introduced in the university system for the benefit of the future generation, so that it would be helpful for them to go for studies according to the present needs.

When asked to comment on the unemployment problem faced by graduates, which has assumed alarming proportions, Prof. Wijesinhe said a scheme to provide employment to graduates must be initiated in the rural sector first.

A final year student of the dental faculty at the Peradeniya University, Lakmini Rodrigo was not too happy with the type of ragging and said that it was the duty of higher authorities to clamp down on such things.

She pointed out that payment of Rs. 2500 to university students through the `Mahapola Scheme" was hardly sufficient, considering the current cost of living.

Further Lakmini ventured to say that the standard of education is excellent when compared to some other foreign universities.

"The academic staff is rendering an invaluable service towards the development of studies," she added.

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