Recruitment of music teachers - a gross violation of human rights - Kolitha Bhanu Dissanayake

By Ranga CHANDRARATHNE

Speaking on the issue of teacher recruitment policy adapted by some Provincial Councils for teachers of Music and Art for schools in the provinces, Kolitha Bhanu Dissanayake, the Dean of the Faculty of Music at the University of Visual and Performing Arts, stated that gross injustice has been caused to the graduates due to the haphazardly drafted recruitment policy.

“As the Dean of the Faculty of Music, I believe that I have both moral and legitimate right to comment on this matter. I also believe that I am duty-bound to speak on this matter. Different Provincial Councils have adapted different procedures in recruiting teachers for school come under the Provincial Council’s administration according to the devolved powers vested on them.

For example, graduate teacher recruitment has become an intractable issue in the North Central and Uva provinces. If provincial Councils do not consider Graduates of Music and Arts in the respective provinces when recruiting teacher for schools in the province, it is a gross injustice caused to them both the graduates and citizens of the country.

As I gathered, in the North Central and Uva Provinces, teachers’ recruitments are opened only for Diploma holders; National Music and Dance Examination, Visharada from Bhathkanda and Diploma awarded by Bellwood College of Music have been considered as basic qualifications for recruitment while totally neglecting the graduates.

However, this does not mean that those diploma holders should not be recruited for any employment.“ said Kolitha Bhanu Dissanayake on the gross injustice caused to graduates in the provinces.

He is of the view that attention of the Chief Ministers and Provincial Ministers of Education should be focused on the issue as gross injustice is caused to the graduates in the provinces by the recruitment policy and it is also amounting to the violation of their fundamental rights.

“The question paper on General Knowledge which is given to the applicants as test paper for the competitive test is problematic as the same question paper is given to all candidates, expecting graduates of Music and Art to answer questions outside the subject of their studies. Therefore I urge, at least, the question paper should be made up of sections relevant to diverse subjects.

For instance, 1st section may contain questions for graduates who studied subjects on the Art Stream, the second section may test the general knowledge and on subjects that can be answered by graduates in Music and Fine Arts and then 3rd section which test in the general knowledge pertaining to relevant subject area.

If such a question paper is given to candidates, this situation would not occur. Can all the graduates’ knowledge be tested on the basis of a question paper on general knowledge?

Since the graduates in Music and Fine Arts are a special group. Suitable teacher of Music or Fine Arts cannot be selected on the basis of this kind of idiotic test, “questioned Kolitha Bhanu on rational behind the universal question paper given to the candidates as the fitness test prior to making recruitments is conducted.

According to Kolitha Bhanu Dissanayake, adapted recruitment procedure has been so flowed that it allowed graduates from other streams to teach Music and Fine Art. As told by teachers, Kolitha Bhanu pointed out that, for instance, a graduate of history could teach either Music or Fine Art if he or she had learnt Music or Fine Arts for his or her O/L or A/L examinations.

“One who earned a degree, for example, in History or Sinhala and if that person had learnt Music or Fine Art either for O/L or A/L examinations, that person is appointed as teacher of Music or as teacher of Fine Arts.

Then, there is no point government spending millions of tax-payers money on maintaining the University of Visual and Performing Arts if appointments of this nature are being made. President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister of Education should pay attention on this issue as it is of national interest.

As the country needs professionals such as Engineers, Doctors and Lawyers and those who are qualified in IT, it also needs to give some kind of initiation on Fine Arts and Music if the country wants to make its citizens understand culture. Country’s identity is in its culture. Personality development is made through arts.

I urge President Mahinda Rajapaksa to re-constitute Graduate Placement Service (Upadhidhari Sthapana Sevaya) which was active when we earned our degrees. It is a very simple process; open an office and appoint an officer with two or three clerks.

The Graduate Placement Service office may maintain a registry of all passing out graduates from universities and that registry may be sent to the Ministry of Education. When appointments of teachers are made, persons on the list will call for the interviews on a priority basis.

Registry of graduates who are either unemployed or not engaged in a profession, should be maintained. The list of names classified into subjects may be sent to the Ministry of Education and Provincial Ministries of Education.

However, this request does not mean that employment opportunities for non-graduate persons should be deprived of.

Those diploma holders cannot teach, at least, twenty percent of the school curricula. ”States Kolitha Bhanu Dissanayake on the major lacuna in the recruitment policy adapted by some Provincial Councils.

He further pointed out that, on certain instances, graduate teacher

appointments are not made on the basis that graduate teachers are not mentioned in Provincial Council constitutions. Only Diploma holders are mentioned.

“Question arises whether one country should continue with this type of idiotic management techniques?” Queried Kolitha Bhanu on the issue.