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by Karunasena Kodithuwakku, Minister of Human Resource Development, Education and Cultural Affairs

Address on November 5, BMICH on the occasion of University of Ulster Convocation

I am happy indeed to be present here today and deliver this address at this special convocation. Normally we are used to participating in university convocations held in the university or at a convenient location.

Why commitment by teachers matters

by Karunasena Kodithuwakku, Minister of Human Resource Development, Education and Cultural Affairs

Address on November 5, BMICH on the occasion of University of Ulster Convocation

I am happy indeed to be present here today and deliver this address at this special convocation. Normally we are used to participating in university convocations held in the university or at a convenient location.

Today it is quite different, a university, which is, situated over 7000 miles away, is conferring its degrees here in Colombo. I believe these are the resulting effects of technology and commerce driven globalisation trends leading to meaningful alliances. I congratulate all of you, my dear teachers and students on your success. You are lucky that your parents sacrificed perhaps most of their earnings to give this education which will enable you to be competitive and become successful. Be conscious of your duties to your parents and the family.

In Sri Lanka we are faced with several serious education related problems. To mention a few, increasing admission from the present annual 12,500 intake to cover a substantial number of about 93000 qualifying annually to enter university out of approximately 200,000 students sitting A-levels is one of the main problems. Only a very few affluent parents, who can afford to, sent their children to foreign universities. Most of them to, do so after huge personal sacrifices. Another few enrol in courses conducted by institutions established in this country affiliated to foreign universities.

Mismatch between the employers' requirements and expectations of the graduates of local universities leading to high levels of unemployment, inadequacy of opportunities for information and communication and technology skills, the low levels of mastery of English in particular are some pressing problems. It is indeed sad that the percentage of those passing English at the GCE/OL declined from 40 per cent in 1994 to 21 per cent by 1997 and was fluctuating thereabout by 2000 with no satisfactory improvement.

Vast majority of university students particularly from social sciences stream were also left stranded despite their desire to learn English. Leaving these problems aside, which the present Government is determined to solve on its own and securing non-government sector participation on a meaningful basis, I would like to deal with a yet another problem, that is the perceived drop in the confidence of our people in the school and the university System.

This certainly owes to a number of factors and their 'interactive' impact. Among such factors, the declining lecturer/teacher-commitment is recognised as significant.

In the school - teachers' service, which has a strength of about 190,000 it must be appreciated and acknowledged that there are many teachers who are well committed and whose lives are fully dedicated to the teaching profession. This is true in respect of some university academics as well. For them, it is not merely a job giving an income. It is a noble profession, and a service. Time commitment is extraordinary. Very often the major part of day is spent at the school or university. They recognise themselves to be purveyors of leadership skills and duty-bound to mould the youth for the future. Conduct exemplary lives and maintain their status is society.

Despite their well-acknowledged competencies, refrain sacrificially from engagement in activities conflicting with their profession. In the case of university academics, academic freedom is not misused. Seek to ad enhance, on their own, their overall knowledge and competence.

Work with vision, courage and forbearance against the odds of political pressure, financial less-attractiveness of the profession, lack of incentives, and delayed promotions etc.

Despite the dedication of those committed as mentioned above, a non-committed segment of teachers/lecturers, whose characteristics are just the opposite, seriously affect both schools and university system. Her Excellency the President also expressed serious concern recently about the school teachers' commitment. Although one may not agree with her suggestion of 'Satyagraha' by students even as a last resort, ensuring commitment of teachers has become an issue. Absenteeism at any time is as high as 20 per cent. Some avail themselves of leave to engage in other income-generating pursuits. Running tuition houses is the preoccupation of some.

They remain in schools to effectively market their tuition or other businesses. Teaching is only a job for them. It is not a profession. Some are outdated in their knowledge, do not even keep abreast with recent happenings in their subject areas. Take up their lectures or lessons without adequate preparation. Obstructs or avoids on flimsy grounds the rational deployment of teachers into "teacher dearth" districts.

It is primarily due to this obstruction and avoidance that students in some districts are disadvantaged. For instance in Moneragala district only 4 per cent of the students who sat A-Level in 2002, qualified to enter the university. It is not performance some count on, for their promotions and transfers but on pandering to political and bureaucratic whims and fancies. In the case of universities, academic freedom is often abused by the non-committed. They rarely do any research or quality research or even attend the meetings of various bodies in which positions are held by them on an ex-officio basis.

The impact of the teachers/lecturers lacking in commitment appears to be diluting the credibility of whole system of schools and universities. There is no doubt that it is from the schools, that the students secure a profound culturing of mind-set of learning. But the schools seem to be failing to give students that cutting edge at the most required time, that is, when they have to face competitive examinations, viz., Grade V Scholarship, GCE (O/L) or GCE (A/L). Neither the Parents nor the students want to rely exclusively on the teaching at the schools where teachers fail to do their work with responsibility. So the students move from one tuition house to another which could impart them that competitive edge.

This has led to unfortunately questioning the effectiveness of the whole system and of the dedicated as well despite taking upon themselves more and more burden because of irresponsibility of their errant colleagues.

No doubt this situation must be rectified without delay. The teacher educators have a major role to play in this regard. The responsibility in the first instance lies with the errant teachers themselves. They must try to correct themselves. A few decades back the schools and universities were considered 'repositories' of knowledge and the teachers as knowledgeable, competent and 'mentors'. This has changed. If the teachers can not wake up to this reality, they must quit. Do or depart. Otherwise the system itself may reject them.

On the part of the Government a number of measures are contemplated. Some of them are, to streamline the recruitment and selection process to ensure persons with right attitudes and aptitudes enter the teaching profession, provide professional training. install systems for school supervisions on regular basis and grant promotions transfers and rewards purely on merit basis.

However, as stated above, I believe that the teachers and lecturers themselves both at the schools and the universities must decide for themselves. The fact that we must all discharge duties undertaken. There can be no compromise on it. The rights may follow or perhaps may never in our lifetimes. We are not doing this for ourselves. But for the future of our young and our society. Teaching is basically a duty.

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