Universities - cradle for learning politics

Miran Perera

Our University education and the University system in Sri Lanka today is at a cross-roads - like our country, our economy, our culture and our political system.

The principal objectives of University education should be to develop the intellectual personality of the student while also at the same time equipping him or her with professional and academic skills, analytical and creative ability, the free flow of ideas including free expression in a democratic environment, adaptability to a democratic system of representation through student unions, the ability to work in teams within different student factions, and taking leadership in such student bodies.

These are the modern qualities that Universities must nurture. The frequent clashes and untimely closures of Universities are due to the rising totalitarianism in student politics.

Contrary to an earlier era when many Universities were closed down by the state and around 80 students were abducted and killed by the state orchestrated para military factions as well today disputes between the rival student factions with different political ideologies if not political leanings have become the main reasons for the closure of Universities.

Despite the liberal academic traditions which Universities have been provided with a strange type of fundamentalism is rising in university politics. History is never an uninterrupted linear progression. All epochs are marked by interruptions, breaks, change, and transformation, growth, decline resurgence so are our universities.

They moulded our cultures and life and they too were absorbed quickly to our University system. Our University students found their own way, their own place in such political systems and established their own connections with it and formed their own structures within national political frameworks.

The University is the highest educational institution in a country. The cleverest students in a country are the students in a University. Moreover those who will occupy all the responsible positions including political office in the future of our country are the present University students.

As such it is essential that University education should not be fragmentary but should be aimed at developing all aspects of human life including how to survive within differing political ideology.

It is mostly because of the present incompleteness of University education that there are people of high academic qualifications involved in politics who are deceitful cruel or of unworthy character. It is unfortunate that University education is limited to advancement of knowledge and has neglected the development of political character of most aspiring new so called educated political candidates.

For them true education will simultaneously bring about both advancement of knowledge and advancement of political character. Whatever University students call themselves or are identified as by their opponents whether their brand name is leftist, right wing or independent, the student factions are displaying a lack of respect and tolerance towards the opinions of opponents.

Going through the history of student politics in Sri Lankan universities someone may find that his inspiring section of local politics has brought out a paradox.

Universities assert that they are engaged in educating leaders for the nation and the world. They send forth graduates with stirring rhetoric about their education, how their education has prepared them to repair all the errors and omissions of the past.

It is argued that a good education requires learning from people with many kinds of backgrounds, and that university responsibilities include training people from all walks of life. In 'Pali' there is the word 'Sikkha' or Sanskrit 'Siksha'.

This word has two meanings. One is learning and the other is discipline. Learning itself is discipline, and this should be the motive behind every activity in all Universities. Peace in the Universities will come about through such educated and disciplined people with less violence and boycott of lectures. Discipline and political activity should be balanced to form strong student unions.