Education and Human Resource Development

“Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the Politicians” - Charles de Gaulle

When India achieved Independence in 1947, after a long and bitter struggle, one of its first tasks was to establish a permanent National Planning Commission which has consistently guided, for six decades, whichever party that was elected to power in India.

Sri Lanka on the other hand had no such Permanent Planning Commission and the policies adopted have been based on ad-hoc decisions of successive politicians. Fifty nine years after “Independence” there is no evidence of any rational and consistent policies in Sri Lanka in any Sector of state activity which could have maintained the “Paradise” which Lee Kwan Yu strove to emulate.

The OPA Annual Sessions for 2007 is designed to galvanise “Sri Lankans to Reawaken Sri Lanka as Paradise Isle”. It will focus on a comprehensive and mutually consistent framework of policies for every sector of state activity and determine the goals that should be pursued by this and future governments.

The policies presented at the Annual Sessions on September 14, 15 and 16 need to be so compelling that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for our elected representatives to disregard them.

The policies required to achieve self-sufficiency in Food, were referred to earlier. Addressed below are policies in respect of Education and Human Resource Development.

Education is acquiring necessary knowledge. While acquiring knowledge, the individuals should be self-motivated and should develop necessary skills and attitudes to be competent enough to do a specific job. Also they should possess all human qualities to live and perform their duties as true human beings, irrespective of their position.

Primary and Secondary Education

A question that parents face today on admission of a child to a State School is “on what basis is a child assigned a particular medium of instruction?”

At present, the basis is “the mother tongue” of the child. If the parents are Sinhalese the medium of instruction is Sinhala and if the parents are Tamil, the medium is Tamil. Neither the child nor the parents have any choice.

However if a child attends a Private or an International school, invariably the medium is English. In the same family if one child is in an International school his medium of instruction is English, whereas the child who attends a state School has to study in Sinhala or Tamil even though both are children of the same parents.

It is a fact that the demand for admission to the International Schools is heavy in spite of the fact that they charge high fees.

There are many reasons for it. Many of the parents do not get schools of their choice, particularly in the urban areas. The demand is for the popular national Schools, where only a limited number could be admitted. The rejects turn towards the International Schools. As a rule people are not satisfied with the facilities in Government Schools or the standard of education.

Another important reason is the medium of instruction. Today there is a big demand for English. The affluent opt for the English medium, thinking in terms of higher education overseas. Others of course think of foreign exams that are available in Sri Lanka through Private Institutes.

The increasing numbers of small schools being closed, is another matter of grave concern. During the past few years, particularly during the last 02 years, a large number of both rural and urban small schools were closed down. This is a very dangerous trend and immediate remedial measures should be taken to arrest this.

The danger is that it can create many social problems. Today, “the rich are getting richer and richer while the poor are getting poorer and poorer”. In Big schools the numbers are rapidly increasing while in the small schools numbers keep on dwindling and end up with the closure.

Perhaps with the best of intentions the authorities close the small schools and transfer the children to neighbouring schools with better facilities. However this system does not guarantee that children of the closed schools go in to other schools and the new entrants would go into the new schools. Without closing a school urgent measures should be taken to refurbish and restore such schools to be on par with, or even better than, those in the urban areas.

Our aim should be for quality education which means high academic standards and other aspects like Peace Education, Value Education, Fostering International Awareness and Global Education.

It is not merely a case of imparting knowledge. Education should prepare students to face future challenges with confidence. We have the highest level of literacy in the South Asian region.

However, according to the Examination Commissioner’s report on the last GCE (O/L) exam, more than 50% of the students have failed in subjects like Mathematics, Science and English, after 10 to 11 years of schooling.

According to the National Education Commission, a fair number of students in grade 6 could not write at all. These two examples of the number of students who fail all 08 subjects at the GCE (O/L) Exam must compete us to realise the falling standard of education in our country.

All students who have failed cannot be considered as duds. The obvious conclusion is that the system has failed.

But, the Big Question is “why”? Today, the so-called big schools (National Schools) are like factories. The average number in a class is over 50 students. Another reason for standard to go down is the unqualified or under qualified teachers.

To quote one example, a few years back a few thousand teachers from “Jana Saviya Families” were given teaching appointments, and in the recent past a fair number of graduates were given teaching appointments. On both occasions these people were appointed not with the idea of improving the standard of education, but purely to solve the problem of unemployment.

There has to be a system of In-Service training. Today once a person joins as a teacher, perhaps till retirement, there is not further training.

At least once in every 03 or 05 years In-Service training programmes should be organised for teachers to be in touch with the modern trends in education, learn new methodology etc.

We have to devise proper in-depth supervision or a system to evaluate teachers’ work.

In this context the relevant Ministry should:

* Be named as the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development

* Be in charge of the subject of Education at all levels, with secretaries in charge of the sub-sectors of General Education, University Education, Higher Education, Tertiary and Vocational Education.

* Work in conjunction with the National Education Commission on the formulation of National Education Policy at all levels of education. National Education Policy should be formulated so as to develop each and every child to become individuals who are equipped to be members of a pluralistic society; with the concept of deep learning and the importance of Life Long Education; to become self motivated and disciplined learners; with the awareness of practices for healthy living and balances growth.

* While being responsible for co-ordinating all academic aspects of education, it also should give directions on the total Human Resources Development aspects through Religious, Sports, Cultural, performing Arts and other extra curricular activities.

The Ministry should liaise with

* The Organisation of Professional Associations on course of Professional Education conducted by its member Associations.

* The Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission on Tertiary Education courses through its registered Private and Public Sector Institutes.

* The BOI on Education courses provided by institutions established as business enterprises.

The Ministry should:

* Promote and strengthen linkages among different sub-sectors and also with courses of professional Associations.

* Delegate the appointments of all staff at Educational Institutions where appropriate to Provincial/ District level and co-ordinate transfers of such staff when requested by staff.

* While ensuring National Education Policy and Standards are maintained at Provincial/ District level, conduct all public examinations and issue certificates of award.

The Quality of Education

* The Ministry should develop mechanisms for maintenance of National Quality Assurance Standards and relevance of education through establishment of a National Quality Assurance and Accreditation Body. This should be an Independent unit equipped with qualified staff.

* At regular intervals, the Ministry should collect from schools necessary information on management, social conditions, adequacy of funds and teachers and compare that with the performance of students at O/L and A/L. Based on these evaluations suitable steps should be taken to improve the performance of students.

Quality of Teachers

The Ministry should; through sub-sectors

* Identify and organize different training programmes for all levels of teachers to improve their performance.

* Work out schemes to assess the quality of teaching.

* Work out the schemes for promotion of all levels of teachers based on their performance and qualifications.

Private Sector Participation

* The Education Ministry shall establish partnerships with the Private Sector with a view to securing their support in developing the Education System at secondary, higher, and tertiary levels with a view to providing a career path for students who complete their studies, at whatever level. These shall include:

* Partnerships with the Business Chambers island wide, to carry out surveys, and to seek their input, as well as establish ways and means of providing support through their members to achieve the identified objectives.

* Harness the services of Social Service Organisations in the respective Districts/Towns to support and develop their area schools in providing equipment and facilities.

* Entrust schools in difficult areas to the private sector to be managed as “CSR” project, in partnership with the Government.

* Provide Tax incentives to the Private Sector in keeping with the support that is extended, so that there is a short term incentive to invest in the future.

* Establish partnerships with appropriate Association Members of different trades, (Construction, Plantation, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture, etc, etc) so that they may provide facilities (equipment, lectures, training centres etc), as well as “in house training” where applicable, so that students are groomed to join these enterprises once they pass out.

* Appropriate MoUs to be signed to secure the interests of both sides.

* Develop strategies in cooperation with the private sector to accommodate students who fail to pass academic examinations but possess a natural aptitude for different skills, to achieve “Degree” level qualifications.

Medium of Instruction

The Ministry should:

* Allow students to select what ever langauge (Sinhala/Tamil/English) they want during their school education.

* Provide sufficient academic support to all schools such as books, teachers and libraries in all three languages.

* Provide facilities for students to sit Ordinary level and Advanced level examinations in the language that they prefer.

* Provide necessary facilities for all students to improve their knowledge of, and communication skills in English.

Career Guidance

* A career guidance and orientation unit should be established in all schools to identify talents/traits/dormant skills of children.

* Representatives of private, public and vocational sectors need to be invited to carry out sector specific presentations on future workforce needs and availability of apprenticeship programmes.

* A series of seminars for parents should be held to sensitize them on the dignity of all professions and trades and the need to dialogue and allow room to respect the aspirations of their children, value themselves and others that provide services.

* Surveys of village, district and country level workforce needs (including pay scales) should be carried out and updated every six months to indicate the needs of self-employment, the private and public and foreign employment sectors.

* District level exhibitions and seminars should be held every 6 months to enable children and parents to visualize the different vocational/craft/private/public/foreign employment sectors.

Research

* Innovative work and students cantered learning and group project activities should be inculcated from early days of general education.

* The Ministry should provide facilities to all schools for innovative work leading to field work, laboratory work and surveys and also in computer use to inculcate basics of Research and Technology from the beginning of a career of a student.

* Ministry should identify Universities as the place that provides training for human resources development in fundamental, theoretical and practical aspects of such research.

* In Tertiary Education, project work, both individual and as a team, should be mandatory.

* It should be made mandatory for newly recruited academic staff in all Tertiary Education Institutions to be guided in research work.

* The Ministry should make sure that all research projects, both basic and applied, funded by the Ministry, are directed to the solution of identified problems related to National Economic and Social problems.

* Universities should promote research training in close collaboration with respective Research Institutions to which they are affiliated - affiliation depending on geographic location and function, and mandate prescribed to the work undertaken by the Institute, whether it be socio-economic, industrial technology, environment related etc. Trouble shooting and research should thus be geared toward development of the country and conducted jointly so as to make best use the human and other resources available.

* While routine research and testing could be carried out under various research organizations outside the education sector, fundamental research and applied research should be promoted in tertiary education institutions.

* Line Ministers covering respective subject matter relating to Health, Agriculture, Environment, Aquatic Resources and Fisheries, Irrigation, Industries, and Industrial Development etc., need to be represented on Advisory Boards of Universities and Research Institutions, with the latter being considered as part of the system of higher education in the country.

* The Ministry should make sure that Research and Development projects are screened by Boards of Management in the case of Statutory Science and Technology Institutions and Heads of Institutions in the case of Government Institutions to ensure that:

* The Projects conform to National Development Policies.

* Projects are scientifically sound and technically feasible.

* The results will be of end-sure benefit for improving both volume and/or quality of products and services.

* Adequacy of competent personnel and infrastructure (laboratories, instrumentation, fields of experiments transport etc).

* Adequacy of funds both currently available and requested under the project.

* Availability of mechanisms for monitoring project time tables and to ensure time schedules are met and for evaluating results in accordance with originally stated objectives.

* Actively foster International collaboration by opening University and Research Institute facilities to International Scholars.

* A dedicated TV channel should be established for the Science and Technology Information dissemination. The target audience should be school children and general public. This will help develop scientific thinking and development of the scientific basis.

* Politicization of professional authority in autonomous Institutions should be eliminated by deleting such clauses in most of the Acts which permit the Minister to give “Specific” instructions to the Chairman and Board, and to terminate the services of a Chairman and/or a Board Member “without giving reasons”. Also such Boards should not be changed every time there is a change of Minister or Government.

* Appointments to and dismissals from autonomous Science and Technology Institutions should be made by Independent Commissions.

Questions and Answers

Delayed Solution -Ministry of Education

Question: I am very sorry my solution has been delayed as per my complaint No. 2005/8838 dated 2005/6/7 from Committee on Public Petitions sent for report. But the Ministry of Education has delayed. Due to this I am indeed with very great sufferings. Please help me with your judgement.

A. M. Meerasahibo - Akkaraipattu

Answer: We contacted the office of the Committee on Public Petitions. And they say that so far they have sent three reminders to the Ministry of Education. They will immediately sent an another reminder. We are unable to contact the Ministry of Education directly and check on this as you have not provided any details. If you can provide more details about you complaint, the subject matter etc. We may be able to contact the Ministry of Education and assist you.

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Double Registration of Private Medical Institution

Question: My clinic and the premises has been registered with the Health Ministry under the Private Medical Institutions Act. The local authority which is the Municipal Council of Maharagama is now requesting me to register my clinic with them as well. Is this not a double taxation for a single issue.

Dr. Sampath R. Nanayakkara - Talawatugoda

Answer: All businesses whether big or small from a Supermarket to lawyer’s office or a clinic have to be registered with the local authority whether be municipal council, urban council or even a Pradeshiya Sabha.

This is covered by separate Acts such as the Urban Council Act and the Pradeshiya Sabha Act. Apart from this registration of all businesses with the relevant local authority, now there is a requirement for all private medical institutions to be registered with the Ministry of Health in order for the Ministry to monitor and assist in general the development of all medical institutions.

You may likewise be registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council as a Medical Practitioner. Similarly, if your income level exceeds the stipulated amount you have to register with the Income Tax Department as well with your annual returns and quarterly payments. Similarly there are taxes and taxes one cannot avoid unless one is unemployed.

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Stipulated Distance from the beach for house building

Question: Please let me know whether there is in fact a law by any authority that no house could be built within the stipulated distance from the beach,

The particular land is situated at Pinwatte, Panadura, before the rail track. The beach is beyond the rail track. Please publish your reply in the Daily News - Thanks

Ranjit Attanayake - Panadura

Answer: No Development activity may be commenced in the coastal zone without a valid permit issued by the Director Coast Conservation as per the Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981. The landward limit at the Coastal Zone is defined as being 300 m. parallel to the high water line.

Permits are granted in terms of the Coastal Zone Management Plan mandated by the Act. The current Coastal Zone Management Plan is published in the Gazette (Extraordinary) No 1429/11 of 24th January, 2006.

The “Set Back” stipulations for the various coastal areas for different types of development activities are given in the plan. You may also contact the Director, Coast Conservation Dept. 4th Floor, Maligawatta Secretariat. Colombo 10, for additional information.

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Citizens Charter

Question: We are pleased to see that the Ministry of Public Administration has shown sympathy to the suffering public and taking action to improve the service to the public. In our country even making payment to the government such as revenue and licence payment is troublesome.

Motor car Revenue Licence issuing in the Western Province is one of the efficient and convenient process and this has been improved further to the other extreme where now one need not get down from the vehicle even to make payment and obtain the Revenue Licence.

I wonder whether the Minister or any of his officials have been down Jawatte Road, Colombo to see the difficulty and the suffering the public is undergoing to obtain the National Identity Card from the Department of Registration of Persons. You will find people seated on either side of the road in this High Security Area. What about citizens charter for the Registration of

Citizens. - Lalith Fernando - Colombo 5

Answer: The Department of Registration of Persons does not come under the Ministry of Public Administration. and Home Affairs but under the Ministry of Internal Administration Citizens Charter is an initiative by the Ministry of Public Administration.

However, we contacted the Commissioner of the Department of Registration of Persons. He too is aware of the problem and he is making efforts to put up a canopy along the wall on Jawatte Road. Due to Security reasons people are not allowed to wait on the Keppetipola Mawatha side of the building.

The Commissioner has obtained private sector assistance to put up the canopy due to lack of funds. People standing on the Road are mainly those who accompany persons who have come to obtain a same day service. Application is submitted in the morning and till evening when the NIC is issued people tend to hand around.

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Ref. Your Reply in Daily News of 19.07.2007

Question: Thank you very much for taking immediate action to clarify my pension with the Provincial Director of Education, Trincomalee.

He had informed you that I have to appeal through ZDE, Batticaloa, which I have already done on 28.02.2007, by registered letter No. 6792 through the Batticaloa Post Office (copy enclosed). It is because that I did not receive any reply, I appealed to you on 29.06.2007. I shall be thankful if you can proceed with any action and help me to receive the enhanced pension.

K. Thiagarajah-Uppodai,Batticaloa.

Answer: We contacted the Zonal Director of Education and he is aware of your case. Your appeal is of an unusual nature according to him but your file is not with them but with the Provincial Director of Education office in Trincomalee.

The ZDB Batticaloa agreed to forward your request to the Provincial Director in Trincomalee. You have been requested to contact the ZDE Batticaloa regarding your matter.

Send in your questions

The organisation of Professional Associations of Sri Lanka (OPA) will cover questions in all professions and subjects of common interest to the public in the Daily News OPA at Your Service” page every Thursday.

Please make your question brief. Questions can be directed to the OPA on e-mail [email protected] or [email protected], Fax: 2559770 or write to the Professional Centre, 275/75, Prof. Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, Off Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.