Whither Engineering and Technological education
by Emeritus Prof. Dayantha Wijeyesekera
Sri Lanka can be proud of the development of Engineering and
Technological education dating as far back as from 1893 at the Maradana
Technical College. The BSc (Eng) external degree of the University of
London was the forerunner to the BSc Eng degree (Ceylon) which commenced
at the University of Colombo, thereafter shifted to University of
Peradeniya.
The Universities of Moratuwa and Ruhuna commenced their degree
programs in Engineering later and now the Engineering Faculties of these
three Conventional Universities conduct the BSc(Eng) degree programs
acceptable to the Professional bodies of Engineering. Lately the South
Eastern University has commenced the BSc (Eng) degree program. In
addition to the above the Open University of Sri Lanka through Open and
Distance Learning conducts the BTech (Eng) degree program which is also
acceptable to the Professional body, together with the University of Uva
Wellassa conducting a BTech degree program. The University of Vocational
Technology has also admitted four batches of students for the BTech
degree program for those who proceeded though the National Vocational
Qualifications (NVQ) system based on competency based training and
assessment and also through lateral entry and upward mobility for those
with mid-level technological qualifications.
 In addition to the degree level Engineering education indicated above
already in existence, technological education at different levels of
Certificate, Diploma, Higher diploma and NVQ are conducted islandwide.
Hence the three delivery systems of Engineering and technological
education in the country are like the three legs of a tripod with the
goal on the top to produce the much needed technocrats for the country.
The three legs as shown in the diagram are (a) conventional university
education (b) open and distance learning (c) competency based training
and assessment.
While there should be interaction between the three legs each bearing
its own weight for stability, there should not be overlap or duplication
as it would then result in a collapse of the system due to instability.
For example those involved in conventional system of education could
while focussing mainly on lecture/laboratory room based face to face
teaching should also focus on competencies and also use open and
distance learning techniques where applicable.
Those expected to focus mainly on Open and distance learning should
while testing for competencies, adopt minimal lecture room face to face
deliveries and similarly those concentrating on competency based
training and assessments should not replace it by lecture room
deliveries and stereo type examinations or depend solely on distance
learning techniques. Interaction is desirable but total replacement is
counter-productive and unstable.
With the rapid development efforts in the country, there is
undoubtedly a dearth of Engineers, technological and craft level
personnel. To meet such a need careful planning is essential to identify
the fields, levels and the quantum with the essential requirement of
quality and standards being maintained. While emerging technologies and
engineering fields are surfacing such as Bio-Medical Engineering, Oil
and Gas Engineering, Mechatronics, Nanotechnology etc it is also prudent
to focus on wider scenarios of engineering such as Social Engineering,
Value Engineering etc.
While it has been announced that new engineering faculties and
colleges are being established, unless quality standards and the real
needs are achieved, the resources utilised would be a waste with the
graduates and diplomates produced not being acceptable to the industry
and the professional bodies.
While it is a laudable effort to provide such tertiary education to
produce graduates and diplomates, unless the main ingredient of quality
and employability are evident, all the efforts and investments will be
of no avail resulting in further burdens of unemployed products.
To find a panacea for such challenges there is sufficient local
expertise available with further minimal contribution of expensive
international expertise for highly specialised areas not available in
the country locally.
For the development of both Engineering and Technological education
an essential feature would be the interaction between the industry and
the academia at all levels starting from curriculum development and
right through to graduation and recruitment of both academic staff and
also graduate placement.
At a time when the G.C.E.’O-level’ results are released and claimed
to be better than last year, there are many with nine ‘A- passes’ and
also many with nine ‘Fs'. Among those who received very good results
would be those who may achieve good Z-score results to enter the state
conventional universities. It is at this stage that others should who
either received nine ‘Weak passes’ or eventually those who did not get
the required Z - score results should consider them as “failures”. Also
there may be those who prefer to go into tertiary education soon after
the G.C.E. ‘O-level’. It is here that even to pursue engineering and
technological education and other tertiary education courses through
professional education, vocational education, skills development and
also through open education while it still exists in the country should
obtain effective career guidance, change the mind sets of some parents,
teachers and peers with a view to pursue further education to contribute
towards the nation usefully not necessarily only in the public sector
only but also in the private sector which could fast develop and expect
to be truly the engine of growth.
Let us act wisely in providing proper career guidance and counselling,
to make the best use of the planning, establishing and implementing of
engineering and technological education which should be manifested
rationally, either through state funding and / or donor funding with the
sole agenda being national development.
The writer is Chancellor, University of Vocational Technology,
Ratmalana |
