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GRADE One admissions in our schools have, in recent times, become a
hot topic, and is proving controversial for some, for one reason or
another.
This subject that concerns the welfare and future of the innocent
young is being discussed not only in homes and schools, but also in
every place in the country. It has visited the legislature and now has
come out of the judiciary. Such is its importance.
It is common knowledge that every parent, every year face numerous
problems in admitting his/her child to a school of his/her choice. To
choose a school of his or her choice for - his or her child is a
cardinal right of every parent.
But, to enjoy this right has been a herculean task for many a parent
in this country. They have to cleanse Augean stables so as to cut the
Gordian knot to open the gateway for a popular school for their child’s
education.
It is said that there are over three hundred odd national schools
throughout the country. These schools in Colombo, Kandy, Galle and other
places have earned names and favours in sports and academic activities.
Their excellence in education and extracurricular activities have earned
them the tag, ‘popular and prestige’.
These are ‘the cream of the schools’ in the country, well oiled and
well nourished by powerful old pupils’ associations and rich and
influential parents.
These ‘elite schools’ boast of rich resources like imposing
buildings, fine auditoriums, well equipped libraries and laboratories,
computer labs and facilities for art, drama, music, gymnastics, swimming
and many other sports you can think of.
The old pupils and influential parents play a significant role in
providing these facilities and other infrastructure development.
The popularity and prestige of these educational institutions, over
the years have been on the ascendancy, so much so that they have become
a ‘magnetic attraction’ to the increasing number of parents who crave to
admit their daughters at the beginning of every year. The sad truth is,
many are called, a few are chosen.
Hence there is a stiff competition to enter these schools of repute
and distinction. In fact, there is cut-throat competition. Therefore, it
has become a practice, nay a routine to resort to every trick in the bag
or to descend to any level to fulfil the aims and aspirations of the
parents.
To meet the children’s admission requirements, the over-zealous and
over-ambitious parents work overtone to prepare documents to prove their
residential qualification and other important requirements. Sometimes
fraudulent documents are prepared to meet the need of the hour.
They go even to the extent of handing out big cash donations to the
school management. Whatever, the reward, whether cash or kind, it should
be ‘handsome’ to the recipients.
This is the time, an opportune time for the concerned people to make
hay while the sun shines. Surely, you have heard this saying, ‘seize the
opportunity when they come.’
Money, they say, can buy anything. So, too with school admissions,
not only Grade One but all admissions in general. It is a case of
survival of the fittest; others just fall by the way side. They have to
be satisfied with an ordinary and lesser known school.
Above all, these children are taught to lie at the early stage in
their lives. These children have to face an admission interview. They
are coached by parents or elders to tell what is not true.
This is their first lesson in life to speak lies, utter lies. Lying
has become a means to an end. A very good baptism for an innocent child
to begin school life.
The admission of children to popular schools has become the biggest
bugbear. It is an annual ordeal for most of the parents in this country.
Over the years, there have been complaints of irregularities, drawbacks
and other shady deals in the scheme of things.
Accusations of discrimination and allegations of fraud and bribery
have been bandied about. There have not been hundred per cent
transparency, and it has reached such stage that Grade One admissions
has become a national problem.
For the rich who live under the lap of luxury, it is a cake walk to
admit their children to a popular school of their choice. If they fail
in this endeavour, there is a choice of international schools.
Providing English medium education leading to GCE (O/L) local
syllabus or Edexel, Cambridge or London syllabus.
There are alternatives for them because they enjoy financial
resources. What about the average middle and lower middle class? They
are the silent majority in the country, crying for a decent and better
education for their offsprings.
The future human resource of the country is today’s generation of
school going population. Well aware of this fact, the Ministry of
Education receives a substantial sum from the annual Budget to cater to
the needs of over four million children with over one hundred and fifty
thousand teachers in about nine thousand and three hundred schools in
every nook and corner of the country.
The Ministry has been doing its best despite severe financial
constraints, and the problem of Grade One admissions has assumed
alarming proportions as the primary admissions have increased by leaps
and bounds, year in and year out.
As such, this mad scramble for admission to the best schools has
increased in geometrical progression. By hook or by crook, they try
their level best to be successful in their endeavour.
Why is this mad rush for admissions to popular town schools? The root
cause is the disparity in education in a town school and a rural Maha
Vidyalaya.
They know very well that there is a wide and yawning gap between the
two. It is a myth when you say there is equality of educational
opportunity for every child in the country. This has been a swan song
for most of our legislators.
It looks good on paper. But in reality, it is not so. Do all schools,
if not most schools, enjoy the same resources, teaching staff,
facilities for sports and recreation like the popular town and urban
schools? In the light of the above, there is stiff competition among
parents to seek the best school.
When you walk into the primary section of popular schools, you will
find the classes are overcrowded, bursting at its seams. On the other
hand, it is not so in rural schools. What does it indicate? The majority
of parents want a popular school, never mind the overcrowding and the
seating arrangement of their young ones.
What is the remedy for the present predicament of our parents seeking
admissions to well-known schools for their children? One way is to work
out a system to have two sessions in all schools where there is a
popular demand for entry.
This would obviate the need for fraudulent activities and
considerably lesson the frustration of parents. This innovation could be
easily worked out with the principals, teachers, parents and may be with
the backing of past pupils. If this proposal is implemented, I think
half the problem could be solved.
The other solution is, if ‘equality of educational opportunity’ is to
be implemented, the Ministry should be provided equal resources and
facilities to all schools in the island without any discrimination
between rural schools and urban schools. Good education and better
facilities in all schools will not motivate the parents to rush in for
better schools.
The Ministry has to pump in a huge sum of money to upgrade and
improve the infrastructure facilities of these schools to attract the
parents there. if glaring inequalities in the content of eduction and
woeful lack of facilities are eliminated, any sensible parent would
admit his child to the nearest school as it will also be safe and
convenient to the child. Wastage of time in travelling and financial
strain on the parents could be avoided altogether.
The third important solution is to establish well equipped, model
primary schools manned by primary trained teachers. These schools with
resources, fine facilities for play and games, should be started in all
parts of the country.
With proper management and dedicated teaching, these schools could be
the centre of attraction in the rural areas. So the need to rush into
one particular town school would not arise.
Although a costly investment, but in the long run, it could pay
dividends since the yearly scramble for admissions in the metropolis and
other major towns and urban areas would minimise to a considerable
degree.
The issue of admissions could be exploited by various elements to
serve their personal agendas. It has fallen to the judiciary to sort
things out and streamline admission, but this too, has been met with
opposition from the past pupils of some of the elite schools.
However, it is incumbent on all stakeholders - ministry officials,
principals, parents, teachers, past students and responsible citizens,
directly or indirectly who have a say in education, to work out a
permanent solution, and end, once and for all, the perennial problem of
Grade One admissions that have bedevilled this country for too long.
M. AZHAR DAWOOD
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THIS refers to ‘expatriate writes to President’ - a letter of August
15 by Seyed Hamid Moulana. His letter really needs attention and
appreciation. As an expatriate worker, I have spent about 20 years in
Saudi Arabia coming at a very young age. When I return home, I can’t
take any Government job owing to my age.
At least I can’t own a vehicle for a living. I own a vehicle in Saudi
Arabia that I bought for US $ 1,000 but I can’t do the same thing in Sri
Lanka because of the taxes imposed there. Also, I can’t bring home my
vehicle because the driving side is different in Saudi cars.
Mr. President, we are thankful and grateful for your efforts to make
the country progress. We will be ever grateful to you, if you would
allow an expatriate worker returning to Sri Lanka to buy a vehicle
without taxes, as they have made immense sacrifices for the country.
Our right to buy vehicles without taxes can be considered based on
our length of services abroad and the amount of money we remitted to the
Motherland.
MOHAMED –
Riyadh
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I fully endorse the views expressed by Nihal Indrajith De Silva of UK
in your columns under the above heading on August 03.
As suggested by him, if the High Commission is not capable of
handling the counter LTTE propaganda by itself it should engage the
services of a retired editor of a reputed newspaper or a PR organisation.
The head of the UK mission as well as the heads of Sri Lanka missions
in other countries should take a serious note of Mr. de Silva’s letter
and make a valuable service to the nation at this time of need without
confining themselves to attending social gatherings and cocktail
parties.
RANJITH KULATUNGA -
Colombo 5
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THIS is the real thing that our country is waiting for a long time.
Absolutely this will help to bring peace to our country and this
programme will help to understand among the communities that the value
of peace and human lives.
I would like to request the Government to take serious steps to
continue these kinds of programmes. May god bring peaceful life to our
country and the peoples! (Be Lankan)
ABDULLAH
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