Education and moral formation

THERE is likely to be unanimity among the public on a link made by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga between the dearth of mature and enlightened politicians and Sri Lanka's slow progress towards national well being.

She made this observation at a function where letters of appointment were issued to some 700 graduates who were recruited as teachers to provincial and national schools.

Considering the close bearing education, in the truest sense of the word, has on intellectual and moral development, the contextual setting could not have been better for reflection on the kind of impact the average politician makes on the public sphere and all that it entails for the people.

We are glad that the President brought these issues into focus because it is yet to be fully realised that the quality of the education that is imparted to our primary and secondary school students in particular, exerts a moulding impact on their personalities, which in turn defines the kinds of persons they turn out to be.

Accordingly, if a student is denied a value-based, balanced education, one cannot expect him or her to be a positive influence on society, with time. If he or she takes to politics, national development will be greatly hindered and harmed.

President Kumaratunga was honest enough to admit that Sri Lanka's lingering problems are traceable to politicians who lack insight or enlightenment. In other words, thus far, our public education system has failed us considerably.

To President Kumaratunga's credit, it must be said that she has laboured hard as Minister of Education, to provide for our primary and secondary students, a broad, liberal education which could invest them with the necessary humanity, to take Sri Lanka along the path of national development.

The educational reforms launched under the President's purview aimed, broadly, at producing - among other things - a humane and socially - responsible younger generation.

Underlying these reforms was the recognition that public education in Sri Lanka lacked that very vital moral dimension which gave to the average public school product both cognitive capability and a humanising moral awareness.

While it is true that 'Free Education' is a more or less well established social institution in this country, the quality of the education that is thus imparted has not been subjected to consistent critical scrutiny.

Administrations under President Kumaratunga have attempted to do this, but for a good part of our post-independence era, public education was considered as matching the required standards and was mechanically perpetuated.

We have paid very dearly for these lapses. Entire generations of students have grown up minus a sound value-based education. Vast multitudes of students have "completed" their educational careers without cultivating what could be called a civic-consciousness, to the desired degree.

As a result the country is toiling under a heavy burden of student indiscipline, lawlessness, inhumane conduct and a lack of moral sensitivity.

Accordingly, it should not come as a surprise if the average local politician leaves very much to be desired, from the point of view of moral formation. We are speaking here in general terms, with full awareness that there are exceptions to the rule.

It cannot be emphasized enough that moral education begins at home and school. If today, racial and religious bigots are having a few zealous supporters it is because they lack a fully developed moral conscience. This in turn has its roots in a flawed, unbalanced education.

We hope our political establishment would think deeply on these things. It is futile to think in terms of resolving national issues, such as the ethnic conflict, without providing every citizen a sound, value-based education.