Human resource Lanka’s greatest asset - Prof. G.L. Peiris

Sri Lanka’s greatest asset is its human resources and it more than compensates for the lack of other natural resources such as diamonds, oil, gold, etc. It’s the duty of the Government as well as everybody else to equip this great resource with knowledge and skills which necessarily include computer literacy and information technology, Export Development and International Trade Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said recently at a ceremony where certificates were presented to 480 students who had successfully completed a course on computer eduction, sponsored by the Human Care International, Matale.

Prof. Peiris said, Sri Lanka has a very high literacy rate compared with other countries. It is also a matter of act that one should obtain good employment if the quality of his or her life is to be improved.

According to modern-day economic realities, if one aspires to lead a life of dignity in our society, he must be able to secure good employment that would provide him with a reasonably sufficient income.

And in today’s context, to obtain such employment in the private sector or even in the State sector, a good computer knowledge has become essential.

Of course there was a time when education was not intended to be job-oriented and knowledge was imbibed for the sole purpose of educating oneself. Such ideas have no place in the present day competitive world and a person without a proper job related education is not regarded as literate.

Today it’s our paramount duty to provide such education to needy sections in our society and in this respect one must appreciate the efforts made by organisations such as Human Care International.

Prof. Peiris also highlighted the need to provide equal opportunities specially in the field of education to all children irrespective of regional and social considerations. The concept of equality is contained in the Chapter 12 of the Constitution and is very much entrenched in our legal system.

In this regard the Government recently introduced several important Acts on Human Rights to Parliament with a view to allow the people enjoy the benefits deriving from certain international agreements on Human Rights that the Government had already agreed to.

Prof. Peiris said as a university teacher who had taught Sri Lankan students of two generations over a period of 26 years, he could honestly state without any doubt that our children have a higher standard of knowledge, skills and creativity than their counterparts in Western Universities.

That was their inherent ability. But these abilities have to be improved and fine-tuned. Education must be utilised as a tool in this regard. In today’s world, English language, computer literacy and management are essential factors in carving out a highly successful modern society.

he again thanked organisations such as Human Care International that have stepped forward to provide these essential services to society without waiting for the Government to do everything.

Such actions are laudatory and timely, but he cautioned that sometimes such programmes had tendency to wither away after an initial burst of enthusiasm. But in the case of Human Care International, he was sure that such a fate was not in store for it as all its programmes are structured well and are sustainable over the longer period.