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Towards quality primary education

The explosive emergence of gang warfare among some sections of our school boys alone is proof that much needs to be done to enhance the quality of our primary school education.

While such barbarism is most evident in the behaviour of some senior school boys, it is the deficiencies of the education they receive in their early, formative years, in combination with other factors, which predispose the young mind to indiscipline and violent behaviour.

This should be no cause for wonderment. Today, in very many schools, each class consists of 40 or more students, whereas around 30 years ago, the corresponding number was only 25 or even less.

The overcrowding of classrooms, which extends from year one to year 13, makes it impossible for a teacher to devote close and sufficient attention to his or her students.

This results in both, learning deficiencies as well as drawbacks in the character formation of students.

President Kumaratunga, therefore, was right in impressing upon Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Chief Ministers and Provincial Council members, the importance of imparting to students, a high quality primary education.

It is up to the latter to ensure that the schools under their purview transform themselves into centres of educational excellence rather than degenerate into storm centres of discontent, frustration and violence.

It is all too evident that despite having launched the institution of "free education" decades ago on gaining political independence, we have failed abysmally in sustaining educational equity.

A minuscule number of public schools have emerged as "big schools" while the vast majority of State-instituted schools have been allowed to suffer drastic decline, in terms of the quality of the education imparted and capacity-building for the discharging of educational functions.

This is a principal reason for the current, wild scramble for the so-called good schools which are concentrated mainly in the metropolis and major towns. Hence the "Kolombata Kiri, Gamata Kekiri" syndrome.

Among other things, the fierce, cut-throat competition among sections of the public to have their children admitted to the few "big schools", compels them to have recourse to unethical practices, such as bribe giving and lying.

Thus at the very outset, a child easily inculcates deceit and a plethora of other vices spawned by an era of moral decadence. Should then we be surprised if these youngsters succumb to rampant indiscipline as time goes by?

Accordingly, it is high time the authorities put their foot down and enforce the rules and regulations as regards school admissions. This will help in bringing down the number of students per class.

Besides, as suggested by the President, every Divisional Secretariat should ensure that at least one fully upgraded school is established in its area of administration. This will decelerate the mad rush for a few "big schools".

Asia's energy quest

Oil is in the news again, mainly because of the soaring price that has seen even robust economies reeling under pressure. An unprecedented rise in oil prices has hit developing economies hard. It would not be wrong to say that oil drives most economies around the world.

There is a direct relationship between a country's appetite for energy and its economic growth.

Experts meeting at the Asia Oil and Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia have warned that current high oil prices and the region's heavy reliance on oil imports from the Middle East could impede economic growth.

Asia must speed up its economic liberalisation to woo energy investment and ensure sufficient and affordable long-term supplies in a turbulent world market, they said.

In the words of Dave O'Reilly, chief executive of US oil major ChevronTexaco, Asia's soaring growth is "straining the energy bridge - Asia's tiger could come in for a hard landing because of energy supply concerns".

According to the International Energy Agency, Asia was expected to account for 40 per cent of the growth in world oil demand between 2005 and 2025. Last year, Asia imported 64 per cent of its oil needs. But depending solely on imports will drain the monetary resources of Asian countries. They must tap their own vast oil resources before long to avoid this predicament.

For example, China, Indonesia and Malaysia rank among the world's top 25 oil producers. But they must invite more investment in oil exploration, manufacturing and refinery sectors by liberalising their economies and granting more incentives.

Sri Lanka too has liberalised the oil sector to a great extent, starting with lubricants and gradually shifting to fuel sales. Negotiations are on for a third player for the local petroleum retail market.

We must also not abandon efforts to find oil within our sea limits. The exploration of potential oil fields should continue with the assistance of foreign governments and investors.

But the stark reality is that all fossil fuels are finite. The world will not run out of oil for several more decades, but that will eventually happen.

The only alternative is developing and adapting renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind power, which are also environment-friendly. Both developed and developing countries must join hands in this endeavour.

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