‘GSL Should Increase State Spending In education As It Agreed In International Forums’ Says 22 Scholars Around The Globe
By Colombo Telegraph -October 6, 2012 |
“Progress will require the highest priorities of the State, and the Government of Sri Lanka should increase state spending in education to the order of 6% of GDP, which has been recommended by UNESCO and agreed to by the Government of Sri Lanka in international forums. Indeed, the greatest investments any country can make are in its citizens, which include teachers and students. Our appeal to address the crisis in education is as much about education as it is about building the foundation of democracy. Prioritising and democratising education is imperative to the process of rebuilding a just and prosperous society. As those invested in accessible, fair and just education for all persons, across the world, we strongly urge the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate note of the education crisis, negotiate with teachers’ and university teachers unions in good faith, and put in place a vibrant process to address this serious concern.” says a large group of intellectuals from different parts of the globe.
In a joint statement, 22 scholars around the globe noted that only 1.86 per cent of the GDP was being spent on education in the island nation.
Read the statement below for further details;
An Appeal to Address the Education Crisis in Sri Lanka
We, as economists, academics and social activists are deeply concerned about the continuing crisis in the education sector in Sri Lanka. Austerity measures and attacks on social welfare in many countries have been disenfranchising children and youth from education as a central avenue for social equity. This has led to protests and social unrest in many countries across the board.
In decades past, we saw social and human development with free education and health in Sri Lanka, to be a model worthy of emulation by other countries. But insurrections, civil war, increasing militarisation and authoritarianism over the years, have made a deep dent in the democratic structure of society. Today, in the post war era in Sri Lanka, we look to the country to rebuild its social foundations that would serve to democratise and further improve the quality of life for people. Investing in a robust education system, as is well known, will leave an indelible mark on this rebuilding process. However, to the contrary, investment in education has been decreasing to where state expenditure in education is now 1.86% of the GDP; the lowest in South Asia and one of the lowest in the world. Such drastic declines in state investment are related to the mounting issues in the education sector in Sri Lanka. This crisis is compounded by reports of rural school closures, problems in schools and university entrance exams and the politicisation and militarisation of the education space.
Such a predicament has led to the recent university teachers strike action, agitations by teachers’ unions and mounting protests by students. These interventions have brought our attention to the crisis of education in Sri Lanka. We stand in solidarity with teachers, academics and students in Sri Lanka who have taken it upon themselves to shed some light on this crisis.
The post war period holds much promise for the people in Sri Lanka and in that hope we appeal to the Government of Sri Lanka, university and teachers’ unions, students’ movements and parents’ organisations, and foreign aid donors to engage the crisis in education and arrive at a solution that can again rebuild the foundations for a democratic and prosperous society. The world is watching Sri Lanka to see if past achievements in education will again be revitalised.
Progress will require the highest priorities of the State, and the Government of Sri Lanka should increase state spending in education to the order of 6% of GDP, which has been recommended by UNESCO and agreed to by the Government of Sri Lanka in international forums. Indeed, the greatest investments any country can make are in its citizens, which include teachers and students. Our appeal to address the crisis in education is as much about education as it is about building the foundation of democracy. Prioritising and democratising education is imperative to the process of rebuilding a just and prosperous society. As those invested in accessible, fair and just education for all persons, across the world, we strongly urge the Government of Sri Lanka to take immediate note of the education crisis, negotiate with teachers’ and university teachers unions in good faith, and put in place a vibrant process to address this serious concern.
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