Grade One admissions: Is there a solution?

After a lively discussion of the pros and cons of private tuition and its effects on our younger generation, we move on to another ‘hot topic’ concerning the education system of our country - Grade One school admissions. In no time in history has admitting your child to a school been so difficult and involved so much of lying, under-cutting and chicanery like today.

Ask any parent with school-going kids; he or she would tell you the laborious process they had to go through to secure a place for their child at a popular school in the city. Ordinarily, the process commences the very day the child is born, by including a false address into its birth certificate, often that of a relative or friend living close to a popular school.

At the interview for admission into the school, the child is compelled to repeat false information taught by the parents to convince the interview board of the authenticity of the address given.

Why is there such a rat race and bottle-neck competition to admit children into schools in a country with reasonably high standards of education and free education from Grade One to university education? After all education ceased to be a luxury affordable only to the rich way back in the 1940s.

If one looks into the issue in more detail, it is clear that the root causes for this lies within our education system itself and in certain reforms introduced in the past.

The White Paper on Education presented in 1981 is considered to be one of the main factors which contributed to the present crisis. On one hand, it introduced the ‘Parshada school’ system whereby the small schools of a particular area were clustered around a main school and shared its resources. Though conceptually good, the measure ended up in the small schools being more deprived of resources and parents more hesitant to admit their children to them.

On the other hand, the Paper also set up the ‘unitary school’ system under which certain urban schools were permitted to supply their own physical resources while the Government was responsible only for the payment of staff salaries.

As a result, one sees the emergence of the notion of ‘popular schools’, urban elitist colleges with abundant resources, funded and managed by School Development Boards comprising rich and powerful old pupils.

The ‘popular schools’ with all the facilities required for education, no dearth of teachers and with the prestige attached to it, have made many parents even in the remote areas of the country seek a place therein for their children. Furthermore, some schools are under the Central Government while others are under Provincial Councils, compounding administrative chaos.

Write to us on the above issues. The Daily News Debate topic for December is ‘Grade One admissions: Is there a solution ?’. Send in your views (in 750-1,000 words) to ‘Daily News Debate’, Daily News, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, PO Box 1217, Colombo, or via e-mail to [email protected] before August 20, 2007.

Education system needs a drastic change

Jayashantha Jayawardhana

“A man severe he was, and stern to view, I knew him well, and every truant knew;” Oliver Goldsmith - The Village Schoolmaster

TUITION: Today, tuition has become so popular among the students in our country that it is sometimes supposed to be an essential, indispensable part of a child’s education. It is this popular supposition that has driven many parents to send their children to tuition teachers who are believed to be great magicians, capable of working wonders.

Judging from some people’s opinion of tuition teachers, one can safely conclude that Shakespeare’s Prospero could hardly have rivalled them.

But the question remains: if tuition masters are so good at teaching, why do such an appreciable number of students perform so dismally at the GCE O/L Examination? I think it is reasonable to ask this question, because a very few students who do not get private tuition for the O/L exam if it is affordable to them.

Our education system, free as it is, is not without errors and weaknesses, which has perhaps necessitated private tuition. Basically, we can see that equal distribution of resources among school system rarely happens and that it has given rise to an informal categorisation of schools, namely, big popular town schools and resource-constrained rural schools.

The disparity between these two is so marked that the first type continues to thrive while the second one is struggling to survive; the concentration of the most of academically qualified teachers in those big schools is in sharp contrast to the dearth of teachers in rural ones.

Generally speaking, the role of the tuition teacher is to fill those young minds with facts so that they can memories them and regurgitate them at the exam and get an ‘A’ pass or a ‘B’ one. In the opinion of some students, the tuition masters can do this far better than their teachers in the school.

A typical school teacher is a person who always wields a formidable cane, constantly scolds the students, often twists their ears or gives them light raps on their heads and occasionally intimates their faults to their parents at the criticism sessions.

Compared to a typical school teacher, a tuition master is a more pleasant, genial, considerate person who rarely gets cross with their students and seldom forces them to study. So the majority of students like their tuition masters better.

But most of them (students) are blissfully ignorant of the fact that the tuition masters are intent only on attracting more and more students, that their kindness and their lenient attitude towards them help them become popular among the students and that the freedom they may enjoy while in the tuition class has very little to do with their performance at the exam.

Since a decade or so, the tuition industry has been growing rapidly. As a result of that, today, private tutoris are mushrooming and tuition masters can be found dime to dozen.

The number of the students attending these classes has so increased over the past five or six years that one may almost wonder whether children should go to school at all when there are so many private tuition classes and tuition masters imparting the same knowledge to the students as government school teachers in a (supposedly) far better, more effective way.

And that thought, we must admit, is both reasonable and sensible. At most tuition classes which I know pretty well of, students are provided with minimum facilities i.e. creaky narrow benches and desks (which are, of course, a higher version of the former), overused blackboards, and halls which sometimes have bare earth for the floor and are roofed with sheets that get almost too hot in the midday, giving students the sensation of being in an oven.

Tuition masters play various tricks and gimmicks to attract students. Colourful handouts with glossy front pages, beautiful handbills, bookmarks, files, pocket calendars featuring celebrities are among the things that decoy students into tuition classes.

They also present exaggerated statistics of the students who have attended their classes and have, therefore, passed the exams to the students currently attending their classes.

Surely, no one questions the authenticity or the reliability of those statistics. So that also helps them draw more children into their classes. Low grade humour also plays a key role in attracting students.

Sometimes between platitudes and obscene humour, very little work is done, but students do not understand this since they are preoccupied with the interesting jokes their tuition master has made. Organising parties is yet another but newer trick.

Some government school teachers who teach also at private tuition classes are kinder, more good-humoured, more considerate and less impolite at the tuition class than at the school.

Some teachers, who rarely address students ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ at the school and who always scowl at them treat the same students with greater affection, and are eternally smiling after fashion of vote-begging politicians in the tuition class. What an amazing transformation! Miraculous as it is, few of my dear fellow readers, I believe, would disagree with me over my point of view.

This is as true as ridiculous. So the question arises: why cannot those school teachers be half as considerate in the school as they are at the tuition class? I do not propose that the educational authorities prohibit the government school teachers from conducting private tuition classes.

But they have to investigate whether those teachers perform their duty at the school at their best or they simply attend the school just for the sake of attending the school and get their salaries.

If they are found guilty of dereliction of duty, they should simply be given the sack. If they neglect their duty, on no account, I think, they should be sympathised with.

As for tuition teachers, not all of them are charlatans. There are many tuition masters who are far ahead than school teachers in terms of subject knowledge and teaching skills. But they are all concerned more with attracting students than with imparting knowledge.

All in all, I believe, it is important for the educational authorities to improve our formal education system to the extent where tuition is totally redundant, a target difficult but not impossible to achieve.

Private tuition serves the needs of a multitude of students

Ranjan Amarasinghe

success: It is no exaggeration that private tuition is considered as a “must” by a large coterie of schoolgoing children who aspire to get through examinations such as G.C.E. (O/L) and G.C.E. (A/L), the success of which would certainly give better prospects to their lives.

In spite of the government schools situated in the capital and the suburbs are not experiencing a dirth of well-trained and highly motivated teachers whose task is made easier due to these schools possessing modern facilities such as well-equipped laboratories the students in these schools increasingly patronage private tutories as a sine qua non which boost their morale when facing heart-wrenching highly competitive exams.

In any trade or profession, there are some unqualified and unethical imposters who merely swayed by mercenary instincts, masquerade as great saviours who shamelessly claim that they have miraculous teaching skills, thus hoodwinking a large number of gullible students who flock around them in genuflection, in seeking their salvation, of getting through their examinations with thumping success.

Ironically they are destined to realise their folly within a relatively short period of time when they ignominiously fail to make any impressive gains at these all important examinations. However, it must be admitted a large number of students who have succeeded creditably in these examinations, not only in Colombo and suburbs but also in the rural areas were ably assisted by some of these highly talented and well-prepared private tutors.

Unlike in schools in which a subject such as Mathematics or English is taught only for a short period of time in a day, for instance one period lasting forty five minutes, private tutors continuously teach these subjects to students for a longer duration which can last for two or three hours thus giving the students a better understanding and a comprehensive knowledge on these important subjects.

Therefore the phenomena of private tutories which have mushroomed throughout the country cannot be summarily dismissed as a trend and a status - symbol which characterises the advent of push-button civilisation.

Undoubtedly in these private tutories the students have greater freedom in mixing liberally with opposite-sex without any kind of taboos, which they find welcoming in a fast changing world, in which access to computer and the internet have broaden their outlook to hitherto unimaginable dimension.

Hence, there is an eagerly awaited opportunity for these students to engage in exchanging diverse ideas and dissenting views which can in the long run benefit them tremendously, in enhancing their knowledge not only on their respective subjects, but also on the subtleties of human nature and relationships.

Although there is a real danger of them overstepping the limits of their freedom which can certainly have a detrimental effect on their lives, as a whole, the new world offers the young generation a treasure-trove of opportunities, which undoubtedly have the capacity to make a turning point in their lives.

Thus it will be prudent and logical to accept the inevitable changes in the structure of the educational system, in which private tutors have made their presence felt, as a large number of students who came off with flying colours at these hurdles in the form of competitive examinations, literally determining the scales of their future prospects, would undoubtedly have admiration and gratitude for some of these dedicated and well-focused private tutors.

Paradoxically, these private tutors too are depending on the prospects of their sizeable number of students coveted goal of success which in turn would accelerate their own agenda of popularity, offering them in a platter fame and wealth within a short period of time.

Thus we are familiar with these super-private tutors doing their rounds majestically in their limousines, which spectacle can momentarily imprison us in a fantasy world, enabling us to forget albeit temporary, the stark realities of our harsh existence.

It is imperative that private tutors are allowed to carry on without any undue hindrance, who have acquired all important ingredient of academic qualifications and experience which would enable them to enhance the spectrum of their students knowledge on their respective subjects and mental perception which would definitely make a qualitative change in the outlook of their students lives.

In the long run, it will harbinger a better system of education where private and public sector competition will allow the students better access or an edge, which would be a positive step in the right direction.

Surely, stabilising of private tuition will be a prop up to our own civilised ways, in which liberalism is allowed to play a positive role thus ensuring the tenets of democracy is practised and solidified, the propagation of which is guaranteed by our very constitution. Long live democracy.

Tutories and the link language

Miran Perera

DISCIPLINE: The fundamental purpose of education is surely to provide the person educated with a trained and disciplined mind, a mind trained to think, to think clearly, to think calmly and above all to think correctly.

It is surely the imparting of the mental discipline and training of the mind which constitutes the primary and the fundamental purpose of education. Some students find English language examinations and other examinations in English often hard and it is very difficult to get through them exceptionally well.

Students take great pains to pass with flying colours and try every possible way to be the best. Therefore the mushrooming English tutories in this country are in great demand. Is it the competition for white collar job opportunities, or the competition with the city- born elite college educated youth or the never ending rat race to learn the link language that make students depend on English tuition classes?

Most people believe that the measurement of intelligence include getting good results at an English exam and the ability to get into a good university. Children drive themselves to gain speaking knowledge from English tuition classes because of this self-imposed pressure.

Young people who await jobs likewise as a minimum for the sake of advertisements for vacancies don’t seem to devote time to reading English papers although applications themselves have to be made in English. Perhaps their knowledge gained from English tutories are insufficient.

Young students feel a kind of antipathy to the English language. Though it is saddening, this can be described as an attitude hostile to learning English which has today become a dire necessity.

Aside from the unproductive English education policy what has also became a major cause for concern is the dwindling standard of English teachers in schools and tutories who are partly responsible for this pitiable state. Can we deny that the teaching of English is in turmoil while more and more students are keen in attending English tutorial classes.

However it is well-known the sections that are privileged do take exception to this attitude with their education acquired through numerous private avenues open to them and their ability gained in speaking, reading, writing and understanding the English language because of their westernised upbringing and background.

In this day and age good English test results alone will get the student nowhere. Today children trust English tuition masters more than their own school teachers. Not only students from Advanced Level classes but also children as young as six years depend on English tuition.

These classes have now become a money making business. There are no guarantees that these tuition classes are effective.

Most children go for English tuition classes to get additional support to prepare themselves for a prestigious English working environment. With time as students they become more and more addicted to English tuition classes.

There is nothing wrong with school English syllabuses of the present system of English education. English tuition has also become a fashion. English tuition classes always do not reach students good discipline. They only care about the money and popularity.

Tuition masters or teachers do not have the time to teach good qualities. The education policy accordingly has been revised to restore the English medium instruction in public schools to meet the aspirations of a disillusioned class of parents for the most part those of lower income groups who are unable to get to their children to read, write and speak good English.

Far from being on the look out for other options like international schools and private schools or foreign education, they are left high and dry with the only option of attending English language tutories.

A few random criticism lacking in valid grounds bear evidence of hypocrisy and insincerity underlying the class consciousness of those speaking in English has begun to raise its ugly head against long awaited education reforms. For them ironically what is taught now as English appears to be convincing with a little bit of improvement.

Today there are English tuition classes almost everywhere. It has become a business where children get trapped. Students presume that by attending English tuition classes they can get excellent results. Students need to have a sound practical knowledge speaking in English.

By spoon feeding English one cannot build a good personality. Schools teach children discipline and build their characters. So should they teach good English. This is very important. Intelligence is something we learn by experience or by practical knowledge.

English tuition classes cannot give this intelligence or the practical mind. Most teachers and students with an English-speaking background exert influence on others, less eloquent. Also the cross cultural education provides English as the compulsory link to communicate between Sinhala and Tamil students.

They are introduced to supplementary reading and learning grammar above and beyond the tiresome school texts at English tutories. An attempt for conversation is made in English whereas their counterparts in public schools which are only examination oriented show antipathy with derogatory remarks.

For these salutary reasons in private schools, though all is not well, these parents in general prefer them. But the reality is that only the affluent can afford the high cost of maintenance and many middle class parents are made to pay through their nose.

This language barrier though many seem to be ignorant of, culminates in promoting class difference which tends to disintegrate the society both economically and socially. Promoters of English tutories while claiming their students are at home in English under the auspices of learning it as a subject express fear of a possible erosion of the cultural outlook and national feelings if it is made the medium of instruction in public schools. Perhaps that may loose a lot of money.

The childhood years are meant to be a time of fun and frolic. English tuition has its advantages and disadvantages. It can be a great help for students who are part of large classrooms where a teacher has his hands full. It is good to have a back up like tuition so that any doubts not cleared up during school hours could be understood better from a English tutor.

English tuition to has mostly cons because competition drives children to take these classes. They have forgotten how to relax and enjoy their childhood before adulthood takes over.

At the close of a little of a little less than one half of a century we find ourselves wretchedly failed to achieve the so-called improvements with students and teachers who are in an agony when it comes to writing or speaking good English.

Unquestionably one need to accept the basic reason such as the present dearth of quality English teachers which should receive urgent attention. Today English tuition classes like other tuition shops outnumber children.

It would seem that children are unable to get good results without attending tuition classes. Education is something that can be gained through experience and should be more practical.

Children should not be glued to their books. They should have a practical speaking and writing knowledge of English to live effectively in society. As for English tutories providing this knowledge to students is mere conjecture.

Tuition is a menace

by S.T. Arasu

REFORM: I am not in favour of tuition classes, for the students who are already in the schools or vidyalayas. There should be a radical change or reforms in our country’s educational system, for the betterment of our future generations.

The teachers in the schools or vidyalayas should be very dedicated, loyal, patriotic, disciplined and faithful, to educate and guide the students well and truly for them to become very useful, disciplined, educated, intellectual civic minded citizens of this land as they are our masters and leaders of tomorrow.

Private tutoring had certainly, grown into a menace, which has deprived the younger generations of their in born talented creativity, leisure and childhood indeed.

“The teachers’ profession is a noble one and they must live up to it, to produce better students all round, taking the full responsibility of their careers and future progress” - Quoted by my late father.