Do We Really Enjoy Free Education In Sri Lanka ?
By Sarath Wijesinghe –May 28, 2016
Sarath Wijesinghe
Education is a process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values to the other generation. Education is a fundamental Right expected to be enjoyed by every citizen guaranteed in the Sri Lankan Constitution and many parts of the world. Absolute freedom of education is not found anywhere in the world including Sri Lanka. Parents give preference and priority to educate their children as an investment and for the future of their children, family, and the country. Education process in Sri Lanka is aimed and geared at the University education which is a process inherited from the colonial past, replacing the traditional “Pirivana” Education with a history of 2300 years. University Education in many countries has transformed to be the Centre of Excellence in the Nation linking education, employment generation, and development in all sectors. Privinana” education was linked to culture with international links with the Buddhist world, primarily around the village. There were world renewed Universities in India and Sri Lanka thousands of years ago with links with Educational Institutions in Far East and West. Current Education system consists of primary, secondary, tertiary, University, Private, and Fee Levying, education channels including private universities.
Unfortunately the Education system is not given due place in Si Lanka, despite our nation being a country of Agriculture and Technology requires technology and technical education for the prosperity and development. World has changed and fast changing in the education sector except Sri Lanka, still holding on to the colonial traditions and practices. Underemployment and unemployment is rising drastically – especially among the young and the village expecting white collar jobs in the public sector in any capacity to work less and seek more privileges with future/job security, While 10% of the population consist of lazy and inefficient government servants demanding more and more perks and enhanced salaries. Graduate youth including monks demand teaching appointments or any other jobs in the government sector. Arts graduates are in a miserable situation without competency of a foreign language/English and Information Technology which is a passport for employment in the private sector. Sri Lankan Gradates in universities are of the view that it is the duty of the Government to provide them with employment, which never happens anywhere in the world. Students are given free education from the kindergarten and it is their responsibility to find employment or transforms to be independent entrepreneurs, innovators or engaged in business and trade. Recent trend of parents with some means is to educate children in mushroom private schools spared countrywide with no standards and supervision from the Ministry of Education.
