National integration :
Need to think ‘outside the box’
Speech at the Committee Stage of the
Budget Debate 2011 on the votes of the Ministry of National Languages
and Social Integration by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, MP dviser on
Reconciliation to the President on December 9
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I am grateful, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity to support the budget
allocation and the work of the Ministry of National Languages and Social
Integration amongst others. In fact my one complaint is that not enough
has been given for the work of this extremely important ministry. In his
budget speech the President made clear the seminal contribution to
national development of the activities associated with this ministry,
and I can only hope that its work does not suffer from a shortage of
resources.
In one sense limitations on the funds allocated to the ministry
should not be a problem, because its work should be conducted by other
ministries too. For instance, with regard to National Languages, a
greater responsibility lies with the Ministry of Education. Given the
continuous failure of our education system over the years to promote
bilingualism, let alone the trilingualism that the President requires in
fulfillment of his vision for a prosperous, pluralistic and united Sri
Lanka, there is also need for more work by the Ministries of Higher
Education and of Vocational Training.
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Communication skills
Prof Rajiva Wijesinha, MP |
Given the need for better coordination in this regard, I hope very
much that the recommendation in the committee deliberations on the
Ministry of Human Resources, to establish both a Consultative Committee
and a coordinating mechanism between the various ministries concerned,
will bear fruit. It should be noted that the Ministry of Public
Administration should also be involved in this, given the important role
that the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration should play
in this regard. Some years back, when I first got involved in public
life in an executive position , as head of the Peace Secretariat, I
noted to my line management that there would be no possibility of
sustainable peace unless we developed a much more effective
administration, with better skills of communication as well as planning,
than we had.
Every day that passes convinces me of this more and more, and unless
we develop appropriate skills, and initiative, in middle management as
well as elsewhere, the excellent proposals in the budget will come to
naught. I hope that the Ministry of Public Administration, as well as
the ministry responsible for public sector reforms, will fast forward
plans in this regard and ensure effective implementation.
To return to the particular question of communication skills, since
we have so many ministries to work in this area, it might be argued that
we do not in fact need a Ministry of National Languages and Social
Integration. But it is precisely because those ministries have not
effectively pursued practical programmes in this regard that we need a
ministry like this to propose innovations and ensure at least pilot
programmes. It could, for instance, ensure the development of new
teacher training models, given that in the near 70 years since J R
Jayewardene moved his fatal motion that straitjacketed our students in
monolingualism state institutions have failed to produce sufficient
teachers of the national languages. Of course, it is our rural schools
and our rural children who have suffered most from this.
Different communities
At the height of the colonial period, good schools and good teacher
training institutes were a monopoly of the various churches. But in
order to pursue equality of opportunity, visionaries such as Colonel
Olcot and Arumugam Navalar did not destroy what was effective, rather
they built up similar institutions to provide benefits to others. I
believe, since it would be difficult for the Ministry of Education to
move quickly in this regard, given the destructive mentality of many of
those who claim an egalitarian outlook, that the Ministry of National
Languages and Social Integration can, in fulfillment of its mandate,
encourage associations like the Buddhist Theosophical Society or its
modern day equivalents to take a lead in this regard.
Even better, it could perhaps encourage joint ventures, where
students of different communities could learn and learn to teach
subjects essential for the modern Sri Lankan world, such as English and
Spoken Sinhala and Tamil and Maths and Science, under the guidance of
mentors representing different religious outlooks.
Such institutions, at appropriate levels, could also assist with the
catch up education that is so badly needed in areas previously afflicted
by conflict, but also in rural areas in the rest of the country. Such
education, leading to basic qualifications in useful subjects, to
include also vocational and aesthetic subjects, would provide
qualifications for government employment, whilst enhancing earning
capacity for those seeking foreign employment.
National security
This is particularly important in a context in which many bright
youngsters do not have the basic qualifications to apply for instance to
the Police, in which it is imperative that we enroll youngsters of
different ethnic groups. Courses that would include physical training
and leadership skills, conducted under the aegis of religious leaders,
would provide an ideal foundation for the disciplined and energetic
youngsters who should contribute together to national security
Mr Speaker, I believe it is essential that a Ministry like this one,
entrusted with such important responsibilities for our national life,
should think outside the box, and develop initiatives that will fulfil
its objectives imaginatively and comprehensively. Mechanisms to develop
more and better translators, to facilitate youngsters meeting and
working and playing together, to promote creative cultural productions
as well as social service projects implemented together, all these
should be thought of and refined and implemented through the officials
of this Ministry working together with and inspiring other officials.
Excellent work
I have dwelt at length on new ideas, and I hope some of these at
least will be considered, for this ministry to have the impact it
requires and deserves. But I should note too the sterling commitment of
the Minster and the Secretary and their officials, and the excellent
work they have done in promoting confidence in the North by its work in
providing documentation, its efforts to ensure that National Language
Policy is followed by all Departments including this Parliament itself,
its teaching programmes through its National Languages Institute, and
others. But these seem drops in the ocean compared to the enormous work
that needs to be done, so I hope very much that the ministry will also
work on new imaginative programmes on the lines described and ensure
that the other ministries that need to be productive in this regard are
inspired to work towards the results specifically entrusted to this
important and invaluable ministry. |