Directing education on a new path

Prof. Dayantha WIJESEKERA

At a time when there is severe competition to enter the Sri Lanka Conventional Universities, cost being prohibitive to pursue degree programs overseas, economic reasons, aptitudes and skills for technical education, there are many opting to pursue foundation programs of study, immediately after the GCE ‘O-level’ in lieu of GCE ‘A-level’ qualifications to enter reputed degree programs of studies both locally and overseas.

University entrance

Looking back into the past, entry to Universities has been mainly through University entrance examinations, High School Certificate (HSC), or GCE ‘A-level’. But since the early 1980s with the establishment of the Open University (OUSL), Foundation Courses have been conducted in Sri Lanka, in science, engineering technology, humanities and social studies respectively. These are for students most of whom

Skills should be promoted to cater to modern job market. File photo

i) did not attempt GCE ‘A-level’ examination,

ii) did not achieve the required GCE ‘A-level’ results to enter the conventional University system,

iii) pursued other certificate/ diploma level courses considered suitable to enter the first year or even the second year of the degree courses.

In addition to the implementation of the OUSL Foundation Courses from 1980, since of late, the entry to overseas degree programs could be pursued a). through Foundation Courses conducted in Sri Lanka by the respective Universities and / or their accredited awarding bodies,

b). through the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) system to the Colleges of Technology leading to their Diploma, and

c). thereafter proceed to the University of Vocational Technology (UNIVOTEC) for the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) degree.

Overseas degrees

However, those who aspire to obtain reputed overseas degrees for various reasons, could initially with GCE ‘O-level’ results pursue the respective Foundation Courses locally, and even further levels and thereby obtain an overseas degree eventually by studying most of the years or fully in Sri Lanka.

There is a concern however about Foundation Courses vis a viz GCE ‘A-level’ completion.

The well designed Foundation Courses have been so designed, that relevant subject material up to GCE ‘A-level’ or even higher are being taught and with more modules such as soft skills, IT skills and language skills all of which are relevant and truly a foundation to the aspired degree program.

There is a misconception however that only by pursuing the GCE ‘A-level’, maturity could be achieved by two more years in a secondary school.

For students who are confident on obtaining the required GCE ‘A-level’ results and being selected from the district or on the national merit quota to conventional State University system, the two years of study for GCE ‘A-level’ at the secondary school would definitely contribute not only for maturity but also deep satisfaction in being selected to be an undergraduate. But those who do not get admission would be mature but frustrated specially when they notice their classmates having pursued the Foundation Course route (two years duration same as that for the GCE ‘A-level’ in a tertiary level education Institute) ending up with a valuable employable degree.

Different avenues

Hence, this article is to encourage all those who are confident to enter the conventional University system, to pursue their studies in the traditional path conscientiously, but for those specially with other aptitudes, economic reasons, lack of confidence to secure the required GCE ‘A-level’ results for a conventional university, to consider recognized Foundation Programs available now mainly in three different established avenues through

1) OUSL for a wide range of disciplines

2) CoTs for Technical Education and the UNIVOTEC

3) Private overseas degree program providers in selected areas.