Vital steps towards educational
equity
The award of Mahapola Scholarships recently in
Kilinochchi, to students of the Northern Province by the
educational authorities, was a memorable moment in the
educational history of this country. Apparently, more than 1,500
students from the province have come in for this most handy
bursary which would enable them to further their educational
careers with relative ease and a degree of freedom from worry.
Such measures need to be seen as a deeper entrenchment of the
policy of educational equity in this country. Besides, here is
proof that the state is persisting with a policy of developing
the human resources of the North, inasmuch as it is doing the
same in the case of the South. As Minister Douglas Devananda
pointed out at the function in question, this policy is a far
cry from the ghoulish practice of the LTTE using the Northern
youth in their macabre designs of terror perpetration. Whereas
the Mahapola bursary and the Free Education policy in general
would only help in bringing out the best in the human being, the
Tigers' inhuman handling of youth ensured that their lives were,
perhaps, irreparably blighted.
Accordingly, the Free Education policy must not only thrive
in the North and elsewhere in this country, but be perpetuated
along with the institutions which have proved to be distinct
boons for the student populace, such as, the Mahapola
scholarship scheme. In fact, if these policies and good
practices are vibrantly kept alive the possibility is limited of
student unrest and social disaffection creeping into our polity
once again.
There was a time when perceived irregularities in educational
policy contributed in no small measure towards youth rebellions
in this country. 'Kolombata Kiri, Apata Kekiri' or 'Milk for
Colombo and Kekiri for us', was one of the slogans which
accompanied the first bloody youth upheaval in post independence
Sri Lanka in 1971. It was perceived by the rural youth of those
times that there were gross inequalities in the distribution of
educational resources and opportunities between the metropolis
and the provinces. Such perceptions contributed considerably
towards youth disaffection and violence in Southern Sri Lanka.
Well, the perception that they were treated unfairly by the
state in the provision of educational opportunities and kindred
avenues of personal and collective advancement fuelled the
North-East youth rebellion, in no small degree, which
degenerated into a wasting and bloody 30 year conflict. None is
justified in taking up arms against the state or of having
recourse to violence, in whatever name, but suffice it to know
that skewed educational policy could lead to larger social
cataclysms which would prove difficult to contain.
Therefore, the right-thinking could be glad that we are now
on the correct policy trajectory as regards educational matters.
There is no getting away from the principle that equality of
treatment is the base of social stability. There is no surer
recipe for national instability and eventual destruction than
the perpetration of inequalities on the basis of ethnicity,
religion, social class and other extraneous factors that bear no
relation to the intrinsic worth of humans.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, we know for a fact, is deeply
conscious of the need to develop the North-East, inasmuch as he
is anxious to take development to the South. This augurs well
for the future because education is the best antidote for social
disaffection of any kind. 'Do unto others, as you would have
them do unto you'; this injunction needs to be borne in mind by
all who are charged with bringing about post-conflict
development.
Therefore, there is a great need to not only be committed to
educational equality but to speed ahead with the project of
building and sustaining as many National Schools as possible.
This is an important step towards weeding out the perception
that all educational development is Colombo-centred. When this
perception is weaned away through the equal distribution of
educational resources and facilities, the stage could be
considered as having been set for national integration and
unity.
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