International Schools need regulatory body- Minister Gunawardena

At present, international schools decide the future of many schoolchildren. Therefore, all international schools should operate according to international standards. They should have a regulatory body, said Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena during an interview with the Daily News.

“This is accepted by the government, and relevant rules and regulations should be imposed through a new Education Act. It will help maintain the quality and standard of education,” the minister added.

Here are excerpts:

Q: What are your plans for your ministry in 2012 to push forward Mahinda Chinthanaya - Vision for the Future?

A: We expect Sri Lanka to be the knowledge hub of Asia and the Wonder of Asia. Knowledge-based development is required to achieve this. It is expected to equip the child as a universal asset and one loves his/her motherland and the entire world. But at the moment, we have an exam-oriented education system. Therefore, during 2012 and 2016 under Mahinda Chinthanaya - Vision for the Future, we expect to carry out changes in the education sector. A Parliamentary Consultative Committee needs to be appointed for this to identify problems in the education sector. The committee headed by me met over 25 times.

During the meetings we identified issues that need solutions. There are less problems in the primary eduction sector than secondary education. Only 22 percent of students obtain advanced level education in the science stream and 25 percent in the commerce stream. A total of 53 percent obtain education from the arts stream. Due to this situation there are no jobs to offer for so many students who stop their education after completing the advanced level examination. This education system does not produce persons fit for jobs. We expect to solve this problem by issuing a certificate of competence after developing their skills at ordinary and advanced levels.

The problems encountered with Grade One admission and closing down of small schools will be solved by developing 5,000 primary schools and 1,000 secondary schools. These schools will be revived and projects are already ongoing. Under this programme all resources available in any popular and developed school will be provided to these 1,000 schools. Every Divisional Secretariat division will get at least three of such schools. These schools will be equipped with IT, language, mathematics, commerce and science laboratories. This will be done during 2012 to 2016. During the next few months 1,000 IT graduates, 1,000 science and maths graduates and 1,000 English graduates will be recruited as teachers. Interviews are now being conducted for recruitment. Appointments will be granted only if they agree to teach in the specific Divisional Secretariat division. This will distribute resources equally among all areas in the country and equalize student - teacher ratio.

Currently, 17 schoolchildren have one teacher. But there is a teacher shortage in schools located in difficult areas and a teachers’ surplus in urban popular schools. There are 341 national schools. Cabinet approval has already been granted to transfer all teachers in national schools who had served their current school for over eight years. They can be transferred either to another national school or provincial school. This will be put into action from next year. Earlier teacher transfers in national schools were not implemented properly.

We have paid special attention towards main subjects. They are IT, English (especially spoken English), maths, science, sports and aesthetic studies. We recruited 3,184 teachers to teach aesthetic studies. We will hold discussions with the Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry and Sports Ministry to make arrangements to add an additional value to the education certificate.

Q: What is your assessment of the past two years of the second term of the UPFA government?

A: The biggest victory of the UPFA government was ending the war which dragged on for over 30 years, and ensuring that not a single bomb goes off in the city. No other country achieved such a victory. The UPFA wiped out a very large well trained suicide squad deployed by the LTTE. The UPFA government achieved this amidst various conspiracies of the Tamil Diaspora, world super powers and anti-Sri Lankan elements. The UPFA government established law and order in the country and commenced the development drive, especially in the North and East. For the first time in history, Sri Lanka recorded a growth rate of over eight percent.

The unemployment ratio, interest rates etc were maintained at a single digit value. Both local and foreign government investments increased significantly upgrading the living standard of the people. The number of mobile phones in Sri Lanka is much higher than the total population. Three-wheelers, motorbicycles, homes without cadjan roofs have increased. It is an index which shows the quality of life. Maternal and infant mortality rates are very low when comparing to other countries. Sri Lanka have already achieved many Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and many of them are in the health sector.

Q: Explain the impact of neo-colonialism on Sri Lanka (Geneva issue etc) and possible future operations of local and foreign anti-Sri Lankan elements.

A: Instead of dominating countries directly, now the same colonial international elements try to use countries such as Sri Lanka to achieve their political goals indirectly. But the vast majority of the public stand by the country and the government. It is proved through this year’s May Day celebration. No international element can destabilize Sri Lanka if all those who love their motherland stay together and be united. Sri Lanka’s neighbour India does the same. India faces all challenges unitedly.

Q: Do you have any plans to standardize International Schools mushrooming all over the country?

A: At present international schools decide the future of many schoolchildren. Therefore, all International Schools should operate according to international standards. All telecommunication service providers have to obey rules and regulations imposed by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL). Likewise, International Schools should have a regulatory body. This is accepted by the government, and relevant rules and regulations should be imposed through a new Education Act. It will help maintain the quality and standard of education.

Q: Grade One admissions have become a major issue. Do you have a solution?

A: The myth of popular schools will end when 5,000 primary schools and 1,000 secondary schools are developed. With that, the rat race, corruption and malpractice involved in Grade One admission will end. A child can receive a high standard of education from any of the schools in their areas. The best example is the Grade Five examination results. The best results are from outstation schools and not from Colombo schools.

Q: There is a significant decline in discipline in schools (ragging, bulling etc in schools) compared to the past. Teachers complain about having too much paper work. Comment.

A: The Education Ministry has received complaints on the decline of discipline in schools with the use of drugs, violence etc. The ministry will directly be involved in establishing and strengthening discipline in school. We have already issued a circulation to develop a good attitude among schoolchildren on religion and morals. Under this circular, schoolchildren should observe sil on the last Friday prior to the Full Moon Poya Day. All other religious programmes should be conducted on the last Friday prior to the special religious ceremony of each religion. Aesthetic studies will be promoted among schoolchildren.

Q: There are regular media reports on various problems in schools, such as, child abuse allegations against teachers, discriminating against talented students, mentally abusing students, etc. What are the measures taken to resolve these issues?

A: Certain media institutes act irresponsibly when it comes to reporting incidents connected to lives of schoolchildren and teachers. Such media institutes act according to various personal agendas and attack schoolchildren, teachers and school authorities. Some media attack schools because children who have connections to those media institutes do not get admission to the relevant school as they do not qualify. Some media attack innocent voiceless people making them commit suicide. Because of this situation some parents have restricted certain media channels to their children. Parents cannot sit together with their children and watch certain items telecast on some channels. Countries such as Singapore do not telecast violence etc. All Sri Lankan media institutions have access to such high standard international media but they do not take examples. The content of the front pages of our newspapers and foreign newspapers are totally different. We are far behind in reporting some issues.

Q: Do you think the Z-score is a justifiable system to select students for university education?

A: Z-score is recognized by the University Grants Commission and scholars committed to maintaining equal treatment for all students who sit for the Advanced Level examination. Therefore, nobody can take an individual decision on it. It should be changed only according to a collective agreement.

Q: What is your opinion of the Malambe private university and the privatization of education?

A: If there are state, private, semi-government and other varieties of schools existing, what is wrong with letting private universities operate? There are private universities all over the world including SAARC countries and especially in China and Russia. If private universities cannot exist in Sri Lanka there cannot be private hospitals, factories, coconut estates, tea estates, etc existing in Sri Lanka. What happens now is a brain drain. Intellectuals now study, get employed, marry and settle down abroad. We lose intellectuals. We lose our nation. The children of rich parents receive foreign education and become non-Sri Lankans.

Q: Do you have any message for the Sri Lankan public, especially parents and schoolchildren?

A: We have to get rid of the ‘frog in the well’ mentality to march forward as one nation to become the Wonder of Asia. We have to look beyond our parameters. We have to promote positive thinking among the public. We have received a golden opportunity to march forward and achieve development. We, Sri Lankans need a new vision and a positive change of attitudes.