Critical issues of education in Sri Lanka
by Anil Pagoda Arachchi, Lecturer, Siyane National
College of Education, Veyangoda.
Prof. S. T. Hettige's article in the Sunday Observer of December 16
with the above title deserves serious and immediate attention of all
those involved in the field of education from educational policy-makers
to teachers and parents, for it on the one hand addresses some of the
paramount important issues and contains certain lapses on the other.
Though his standpoint seems to be rather sociological than
educational, he quite convincingly explains several critical issues:
language skills, life skills, citizenship education, equity and
dysfunctional peeking order of subjects.
However, in my point of view, his deliberations are not comprehensive
enough to understand the carbuncular ulcers of the present system of
education that have eaten into the body of the nation creating the
festering situation as is experienced today.
In other words, his article only deals with the crust of the issues
but not the very crux of them. This therefore needs an attempt to delve
into the fulcrum of the problems in order to unearth the phenomena that
cause them with the purpose of evolving a fitting system of education to
suit the country.
Philosophy of education
To begin with, it is appropriate to pose the question whether the
present education system of the country is based on any educational
philosophy suitable for the country.
Scrutiny of the education systems prevalent in countries such as
America, Japan, China and even India shows us that the foundation for
these systems has been laid on a home sprung educational philosophy.
Therefore, all the prevailing educational issues of the country seem
to stem from this lapse because it is this philosophy that steers the
education system for the formulation of educational goals and aims.
It is high time the people concerned initiate an endeavour to probe
into the principal components of such a philosophy. For this, the
sociocultural and geopolitical aspects of the country must be taken into
account with a broad perspective with an integration of both present and
future needs of the country and its people.
Eurocentric models
The issues discussed by Prof. Hettige are direct results of the wrong
education models the country has adopted over the years. An in-depth
study into the structure and content of the present education system
accounts for the fact that it is still more or less a legacy of the
British education system.
It is disheartening to note that even the educational reforms
formulated in the 1990s are based on the concepts and models introduced
in the west. The most unfortunate situation is that in these reforms
attempts have been made to look at educational goals and needs of the
country from standpoint of these Eurocentric models.
For example, many of the core areas mentioned in the Dellors' report
were integrated into them. I do not however argue that we must
completely deviate from the educational concepts and models which have
emerged elsewhere in the world. But they have to be productively
embodied into our system of education to suit our own needs.
It is therefore very essential for us to construct models of
education that can cater to the needs of the country.
Language skills
It is quite true that, as Prof. Hettige observes, there are problems
associated with teaching a second language. This is an issue that must
be dealt with in a separate article.
However, his idea that "all efforts that have been made to rectify
the situation have failed and there are no signs of any concerned effort
being made at present' cannot be accepted.
He seems to have ignored the attempts taken by the Ministry of
Education to introduce the English medium (bilingual) education which is
now in operation over 250 schools in many parts of the country.
The first batch of these students sat the GCE Ordinary Level
Examination this year. One of the objectives of the introduction of
English medium education is to improve the English language standard of
the students, which, according to the writer's observation, has yielded
goods results.
The writer has observed these students in a number of schools such as
Bandaranaike N.S. in Gampaha, Bandaranaike N.S. in Veyangoda, Vidyaloka
MV in Pattalagedara, St. Joseph's College, St. Mary's College,
Swarnajayanthi MV, Kegalu Vidyalaya and Kegalu Girls' School in Kegalle,
and noticed remarkable progress of the students in the use of the
English language.
It is really interesting to see them discussing, clarifying and
explaining the things in English and taking part in debates, arguments
and giving presentations. I am not in the opinion that they speak.
'Queen's English,' yet they have mastered excellent communicative skills
in English.
The experience gained from these students provides new vistas for us
to reflect on why we have failed in achieving the expected results in
teaching as a second language over the years.
What Prof. Hettige surveys in relation to the teaching of citizenship
education in the present curriculum contain some factual errors.
He says that 'Basic values and ideas connected with modern society
such as secularism, equality and fairplay, tolerance of diverse religion
and culture have not been included' in the present school curriculum.
The National Institute of Education has taken steps to introduce this
multi cultural aspect of the society by bringing in a new series of
textbooks. At the same time, citizenship education is now a core subject
area for the students in Grade 6, 7, 8 and 9 classes, and it can be
selected by the students for the GCE Ordinary Level examination as well.
Almost all the themes mentioned by Prof. Hettige have been included into
the present curriculum.
The underlying problem is how a national identity with the
integration of all cultural aspects of the country be brought in the
setup of segregation schools in the country. This has been tried in
Ireland but by establishing integrated schools, and fruitful results
have been achieved. This area needs new research to find out the
plausible avenues of teaching multiculture in an ethnically divided
nation.
Equality of education
Apparently, there is an immense disparity in the distribution of
educational resources between the urban and rural schools. However, this
in certain aspects can be considered as a misnomer. For example, there
are a large number of schools in the Colombo district itself with meagre
or few facilities.
As analysis done by the Department of Examination shows that there
are over 4,000 students in the Colombo district who failed all the
subjects in the GCE Ordinary Level examination last year. Therefore,
this problem is not confined to the rural youth but there is a tendency
even for a greater number of urban youth to become 'victims to anti
systematic elements.
What we must understand is the fact that the problem of the equality
of education is more complicated than it appears.
All these facts boil down to the idea that there is an urgent need to
evolve a suitable system of education for the country. This can be done
only after a thorough study of the present educational ills and future
needs of the country and its future generation, based on an appropriate
educational philosophy. |