President lashes out at critics :

National Education will not be privatised but be modernised

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, rebuffed the rumours that her Government was heading towards the privatization of the educational system and on the verge of introducing a blue print for such and action.

The President reiterated that her government will never-ever privatise national education, but would only modernise it with enhanced budgetary allocations.

She went on to say that right from the time she was the Chief Minister and the Education Minister, she had relentlessly worked to enhance the quality of education in many spheres despite the problems, she had encountered."Our sole intention is to have equal education facilities in all schools in the island, irrespective of whether they were urban or rural. Every Divisional Secretariat division is to have at least two national level schools and additionally Navodya schools as well.

She also categorically denied the allegation that there was a move to allow the International School students to sit for the Grade V Scholarship Examination and allow them to sit for the GCE (O/L) or (A/L). Like any person who sits privately, the students of the International Schools could also sit for the examinations, the President said.

Participating in a discussion telecast live over Sri Lanka Rupavahini, last night on the "Sathyaya Kumakda" (What is the truth?) program along with Education Deputy Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Dinesh Gunawardena,Education Ministry Secretary Dr.Tara de Mel and S.R. Madegama, Advisor to the Ministry,the President wanted to know why one should one feel jealous if there are others coming here from overseas run private universities.

From the student population that gets through the GCE Advanced level only 16,000 get the opportunity to enter the universities.Over 108,000 do not get the opportunity and if some of the parents can afford to educate their children at private universities, why oppose it. It does not mean that the government is for privatisation of education.

Never. Never as long as we are in power. If we are so anxious to privatise education then we would not have allocated so much of money for education. She pointed out that by allowing the private sector to run educational institutes, the country would save over Rs. 500 million as foreign exchange.

She said during the period from 1977 to 1994, the educational system in the country had deteriorated to such a low level that the students during this period had built up a mentality that the use of violence was the only means of achieving their ends.

Thuggery, alcoholism and suicide became rampant among the student population during this period, she added.

In 1994, after assuming the portfolio of Education she established a Special Presidential Task Force consisting of eminent educationists, academics and professionals on whose recommendations new curricula were formulated introducing a new system of education with my consent of building a new generation with equal educational opportunities for all.

In 1994 we had 324 National Schools and since this number was inadequate. I took the initiative to introduce the "Navoda Schools" concept to provide at least two such schools for each District. These Navoda Schools are expected to be equipped with facilities on par with leading schools in Colombo.

Our aim is to have 2540 Secondary Schools equipped with multi-media centres including computers,libraries, and laboratories by the end of year 2006, the President explained.As young students youth enter universities to pursue their higher Education and also to live enjoying their youthful life.

But, unfortunately the universities of the country had not turned into centres of learning, but centres creating chaos.

As a result from 1971 for over ten years most of the Universities remained closed. It was not due to any trouble in the North, but due to the trouble in the South created by some groups to regain their popularity and for cheap political mileage. From 1994 we have been working hard to restore University education but it is sad that the same groups have pulled the students to the streets with baseless and unfounded reasons.

They were responsible for killing, looting and creating fear in the minds of the public and this time we will not remain silent or tolerant but impose severe punishment on those who create trouble.The programme was conducted by Indika Jayaratne.