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Tuesday, 12 June 2012

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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.
 

Moving out of the maze

The ubiquity of the Tiger flags was the most dramatic aspect of the demonstrations in London during the President’s visit for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Diaspora Tigers were not a result of a vacuum in Sri Lanka’s post-war policies. Several times the recent number demonstrated in 2009, blocking access to the Mother of Parliaments in the last weeks of the war.

Full Story

Reminiscences of Gold

The many splendours of Iranganie Serasinghe

Saying that Iranganie Serasinghe is talented is an understatement. She is a complete person having done many things in her life. She is an actress, but earlier she had a hand in journalism, dancing and tourism. She also passionately believes in environmental protection.

Full Story

Rabindranath Tagore - timeless human icon

When we go about celebrating the 151st ‘Kabirpranam’ - the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, we cannot help but feel troubled at least vestigially - by a nagging sense of remorse. Our conscience is irked, that, we have not been able to re-discover adequately, the quintessential human spirituality, Sage Rabindranath Tagore, so starkly and eloquently symbolized.

Full Story

 

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