Universities under pressure to be flexible and responsive to current needs

New breed of institutional leaders for internationalising SL Universities:

May 30, 2012, 8:18 pm , the island

By Professor Ranjith Senaratne
Vice Chairman
University Grants Commission
(E-mail:ransen.ru@gmail.com)

Origin of the post of Vice Chancellor

Continued from yesterday

In many parts of the world, universities are now powerful catalysts and agents of growth and wealth creators. They mobilize and channel their intellectual and infrastructural resources for industrial growth and regional and national development. Thus great cities naturally have great universities that contribute to their intellectual, social and cultural vibrancy as well as influence their development. In a knowledge-based global economy, there is even greater synergy between development of a city and that of its universities. Stanford University in California, U.S.A., Punjab University in Punjab, India, Fudan University in Shanghai, China, Chalmers University in Gothenberg, Sweden and the NUS in Singapore are some telling examples in this regard.

Thus the government encourages the universities to contribute to regional and national development. In Sri Lanka, the universities are almost fully funded by the Treasury. In other words, they are maintained by the sweat and toil of the people of the country of whom around 70% are still living in rural areas. But the immense intellectual and infrastructural resource base of the universities has hitherto remained almost untapped or underutilized for regional/national development. Our universities should, in line with new initiatives such as Gama Naguma, Pura Naguma, Divi Naguma etc. under the Mahinda Chintana, mobilize and channel their rich intellectual and infrastructure resources for regional/national development. Thus they could become catalysts and locomotives of regional development.

Moreover, the strategic location, salubrious climate, rich biological and ecological diversity and scenic beauty of Sri Lanka coupled with its high literacy rate and proficiency in English, the high reputation of its universities, and its relatively low cost of education and cost of living make it an attractive destination for higher education.

Nevertheless, the Sri Lankan universities have been developed to cater for the Sri Lankan students. Therefore, to attract foreign students and staff, there should be a step change in the higher educational institutions in Sri Lanka ranging from enhancement of the physical environment (i.e. landscaping and improvement of infrastructure facilities for accommodation, sports and recreation, cafeteria, e-library etc.), revision of curricula to give an international flavour and character (since much of the present curricula has only a national focus), raising the academic climate and intellectual atmosphere, establishment of an institutional structure on international affairs to changes in governance, management and administration in order to make them foreign-students friendly.

In order to strategically lead and effectively manage such systemic changes, institutional leaders of right mindset, attributes and skills are required. It is because of these reasons that as shown above, even countries like Uganda and Rwanda advertise high profile positions in universities in international journals so as to recruit leaders who can fill the bill in a highly competitive globalised environment abounding with opportunities.

New breed of institutional leaders required

The 1998 World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE) reaffirmed that institutions of higher learning, and their leadership, have an unprecedented role to play in today’s society as pillars to endogenous capacity building and sustainable democracy. This reaffirmation was in recognition of the fact that institutions of higher learning are increasingly regarded, and rightly so, as the bedrock upon which nations build a better and solid future.

Dr. Kobena T. Hanson and Dr. Frannie A. Leautier of the African Capacity Building Foundation in their seminal paper titled "Enhancing Institutional Leadership in African Universities" have dealt with this subject in detail. I draw upon it here, given its relevance and value to the Sri Lankan context.

Global developments of the past decade, particularly the shift from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy, have engendered new challenges, opportunities and possibilities for the leadership of higher educational institutions (HEIs). These changes are calling for rethinking and reviewing of the role of higher education, and more specifically a thorough interrogation of the calibre and mandate of the leadership of HEIs. Leaders of HEIs are being increasingly held accountable, among others, for their support to growth and long-term success of dynamic learners (students and employees) and their ability to translate leadership competence into strategic assets.

Simultaneously, the marketplace for higher education is changing fast with the advent of information technologies, the growing demand for knowledge workers, and the rapid globalization of all sectors, both private and public. These developments reflect the shift in the international economy towards a global network organised around the value of knowledge, and the capacity of people and organisations to use technological developments wisely, effectively and efficiently. Therefore, as D.E. Hanna (2003) said, universities are being compelled to transform their structures, missions, processes and programmes in order to be both flexible and responsive to today’s emerging socio-economic and knowledge needs.

Thus universities no longer can afford academic insularity; they should embark upon strategic public-private partnerships and collaborative endeavours at home and abroad. Growing competition faced by universities in the areas of learning and research is compelling many to carve out niches with focus on intergenerational, cross disciplinary and societally-valuable learning and knowledge as well as to rethink their specific role in civil society to transform societies and enhance the transmission of appropriate values.

Therefore our universities must proactively take on the task of fostering institutional leadership so as to translate leadership competence into strategic assets for the development agenda of the nation. Such assets are the key to bolstering intellectual capital and strategic scanning, the capacity, that is, to recognise the behaviour of interconnected systems to make effective decisions under varying strategic and risk scenarios, and the transformation of knowledge as a lever for the achievement of specified societal objectives and goals.

The strategic rethinking of the role of institutional leadership in our universities is thus inevitable. In this regard, the dialogue should be articulated around issues of global competitiveness, knowledge utilisation, the changing geopolitical landscape, and paradigm shifts in the role of the university from one of control and regulation to one of facilitation and flexibility.

Universities being dynamic institutions do not function effectively if its constituent members do not have the right combination of skills, knowledge and attitudes (competencies) and a suitably structured system is in place.

In the context of the aforesaid interactions and complexities, the tools and frameworks that institutional leaders previously used to make decisions now seem inadequate. Sri Lankan universities, therefore, need a cadre of new leaders who possess the requisite leadership skills that empower them to navigate through the complexities and interconnectedness of the knowledge society of the 21st century. The specific skills required as identified by Dr. F. Lautier, Executive Secretary of the African Capacity Building Foundation for African Universities are as follows:

a) ability to function in environments with low predictability;

b) preparedness to handle diverse potential futures;

c) capacity to generate strategic maps of pressure points and risk scenarios;

d) skills, set of values, and behaviours that guide them in making choices in challenging circumstances; and,

e) capacity to identify patterns of change (shifts), extract important relationships

(interactions), and select from a variety of approaches for handling challenges

Given that the nature and complexity of problems affecting the higher education in Africa and South Asia are comparable, the above hold good for Sri Lankan universities as well.

To be continued tomorrow

U’grads to protest against PMC

May 30, 2012, 10:56 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

Undergraduates are planning to launch a fresh protest against the Malabe Private Medical College (PMC) together with the Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee (MFSAC) and the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF).

Addressing a press conference at CSR hall in Maradana, Convener of the MFSAC Nilan Fernando said that they decided to protest collectively as the PMC is a major threat to medical education in Sri Lanka.

"The Mahinda Rajapaksa government allowed the PMC as a pilot project for privatisation of the free education system in the country," he said.

Fernando said that the government was yet to implement the recommendations of the committee which was appointed by the Health Ministry to look into the matters related to the Malabe PMC.

The committee report indicated that the SLMC and Health Ministry were misled by the PMC and they also found that some students who did not have the relevant qualifications at the GCE (A/L) examination were studying medicine at the PMC, he said.

The student unionist claimed that most of lecturers of the PMC were those who had graduated from foreign universities, but they did not pass the Act 16 examination which foreign medical graduates have to pass if they are to practice in Sri Lanka.

"One of them failed the Act 16 examination eight times," Fernando said adding that another one sat for it seven times.

He said they would stop the PMC at any cost.

IUSF Convener Sanjeewa Bandara said that the student movement stopped the North Colombo Private Medical College in the 80s and the then government had to attach it to the Kelaniya University due to student protests.

"Our late students fought against it for seven years," he said adding they had to sacrifice their lives too to protect the free education at that time.

Bandara said that they would not stop their fight against the PMC until it is abolished.

A group of undergraduates opposed to the JVP-led ...

May 30, 2012, 10:57 pm , the island


A group of undergraduates opposed to the JVP-led Inter University Student Federation protest opposite the Fort Railway station on Tuesday (29) demanding immediate government intervention to save undergraduates from JVP

Z-Score case: Examinations Chief, MoE, AG defend ‘pooling’ method

May 30, 2012, 12:00 pm

By Chitra Weerarathne, the island

The Commissioner General of Examinations, the Minister of Education and the Attorney General, in their written submissions, filed in the Supreme Court recently, said that there was no basis in law to treat the students who sat the GCE Advanced Level Examination under the old and new syllabi separately in calculating the Z-score.

The GCE (A/L) examination had been conducted in August 2011 in such a manner as to would give equal opportunities to students, who had sat the examination under the old and new syllabi, the aforesaid respondents said in response to a fundamental rights violation application filed by a group of students.

Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission which has been made a respondent said that the pooling method used to calculate the Z-Score was appropriate and that should be adopted in admitting students to the universities.

Prof. R. O. Thattil of the Peradeniya University has said that the two syllabi should be dealt with separately in calculating the Z-Score.

The petitioner students have moved the Supreme Court against the pooling method requesting the Court to direct the respondents to calculate the Z-Scores separately for the two syllabi.

New breed of institutional leaders for internationalising Lankan Universities

May 29, 2012, 12:00 pm , the island


By Professor Ranjith Senaratne

Vice Chairman

University Grants Commission

(E-mail:ransen.ru@gmail.com)

Origin of the post of Vice Chancellor

Originally, the Vice Chancellor was the temporary commissary or deputy of the Chancellor. For instance, until 1504, the Statutes of the Cambridge University required its Chancellor to be normally resident in Cambridge, and the Vice Chancellor was appointed as the Chancellor’s deputy, to act only in his absence. Thus it was only from early 16th century that the Vice Chancellor became the chief executive officer of the University.

Thus the role of Vice Chancellor has evolved through the history of the University. The last decade has witnessed major changes in the higher education sector and these new circumstances have, both from a national and international perspective, radically changed the conditions that apply to academic governance - one of most important duties of a Vice Chancellor. Therefore we can expect the role of Vice Chancellor will continue to change in view of the challenges facing higher education, both nationally and internationally. For this reason, Vice Chancellors are treated differently from all the other heads of public agencies, as reflected for instance in the totally different procedures that apply to the appointment of Vice Chancellors as compared with other senior public administrators.

Higher education in a state of flux

Traditionally teaching and research have been the main missions of a university. This has changed gradually with the emergence of disciplines such as biotechnology, industry-sponsored academic research, increased globalisation, reduced basic funding and the new perspectives of the role of university in the system of knowledge production. As knowledge becomes an increasingly important part of innovation and industrial development, the university as a knowledge-producing and disseminating institution plays an increasing role in industrial innovation. Thus, in a knowledge-based economy, the university becomes a key player in the innovation system both as a human capital provider and a seed-bed of new firms. For instance, a study conducted in 1997 revealed that if the companies founded by the graduates and staff of the MIT, USA through commercialisation of knowledge formed an independent nation, their revenue would make them 24th largest economy in the world with an annual sale of US $ 233 billion, which is more than twice the GDP of Singapore

In today’s global landscape of relentless change and innovation, the mission of universities has thus become multi-faceted and the university must see itself as part of the larger global enterprise of creating, imparting, applying and commercialising knowledge. Research universities around the world are increasingly embracing an entrepreneurial dimension. They emphasise the natural complimentarity between creating, imparting and applying knowledge and the subsequent creation of spin-off companies and production of licenses and patents. Therefore to stay relevant and succeed, universities in the 21st century should play three roles, deliver quality undergraduate and postgraduate education, conduct high impact research and foster entrepreneurship and industry involvement.

As scientific knowledge and commercialisation of research results ("entrepreneurial science") are becoming increasingly important for innovation and new business development, universities can play an enhanced role in innovation. Hence, universities in the world that were policy makers earlier are now playing a direct role as actors in regional and national development. For instance, Oulu University in Finland through its entrepreneurial activities brought about considerable industrial growth and economic development in the region, which is now globally known as "Oulu Phenomenon".

Lessens to learn from successful

universities

A look at the global situation will show that some of the highly prestigious as well as rapidly developing universities in the world have broken from tradition and are bringing new perspectives and vision to universities by installing those with experience in industry and world of work as Vice Chancellors. For instance, Harvard University of the USA, a most prestigious university in the world, appointed Larry Summers, former US Secretary to the Treasury as President. Some years ago, Cambridge University inducted Alec Broers, an Australian research engineer from IBM New York as its first Vice Chancellor from outside Britain while Oxford University in 2004 appointed as Vice Chancellor John Hood, a consultant Engineer and former Vice Chancellor of Auckland University, New Zealand. In earlier times, such a decision was simply unthinkable in the two most prestigious universities in Britain with strong traditions and values peculiar to them. Thus Oxford and Cambridge are fishing and competing in the global market place for talents and ideas. They have made the watershed decision to search globally for their academic leaders.

Prof. Shih Choon Fong, the former President of the NUS had worked at General Electrical Company in USA for seven years before joining the NUS. He made the NUS a top-notch university, ranking within the top five in Asia and Australia. In Japan, an increasing number of universities now have high level administrators who have been recruited from industrial research positions. There are many more such examples in the higher education landscape of the world, which show how the universities have responded to change and recognised the importance of having a leader with a deep understanding of the complexity and challenges of higher education as well as possessing financial, commercial and entrepreneurial skills

Even developing countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Mauritius, Rwanda and Uganda are now ‘fishing in global waters’ to attract the best leader to take their universities to greater heights. They advertise vacancies of high profile posts such as Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellor, and Dean in international magazines such as the Economist, the Times Higher Education Supplement and Time to recruit institutional leaders of international calibre so as to elevate the standing and stature of their national universities.

Relevance to the Sri Lankan context

In Sri Lanka, there are 15 universities and 7 postgraduate institutes under the jurisdiction of the UGC, with at least one university located in each province. Most of these universities have well stocked libraries and well equipped laboratories with good ICT infrastructure. They have a total academic strength of over 4500, including around 500 Professors and 1750 Senior Lecturers with PhDs or equivalent qualifications and nearly another 2,000 with Masters’ degrees; and there are over 60,000 undergraduates and over 4,000 post-graduate students in our universities pursuing studies in a multitude of faculties including Engineering, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Natural Science, Agriculture, Humanities, Social Sciences, Management, and Law. Thus an outstandingly rich and diverse intellectual and infrastructural resource base is available in the universities in Sri Lanka, which is maintained at a cost exceeding Rs 20 billion (20,000 million) annually.

The Government of Sri Lanka has placed a great deal of emphasis in improving the world ranking of its universities and making Sri Lanka an educational hub in the region. In this connection, several initiatives have been made including increased funding for six selected universities and offering of 100 scholarships to foreign students.

Continued tomorrow

University academics announce all-out strike from July 04

May 29, 2012, 12:00 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

University lecturers decided yesterday to launch an all out strike from July 04 if the Higher Education Ministry does not resolve their grievances and grant them a salary hike.

They also decided to vacate from all the services provided by them to the Education Ministry until their children are admitted to popular schools.

President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri told The Island that they took the decision at the FUTA executive committee meeting held at the Colombo University.

He said that the Higher Education Ministry took them for a ride with promises but none of their demands had been met so far.

Dr. Devasiri said that they informed their demands to the Ministry several times and President Mahinda Rajapaksa too broke his promise to grant them a pay hike through the budget 2012.

"We asked that 6 per cent of the GDP be allocated to the education sector and government agreed to it," he said adding that so far the government had not taken any positive step to do so.

The senior academic said that they asked the higher education ministry to consult them when taking action regarding the higher education system, especially amending and drafting new Acts. "The ministry agreed, but they have not consulted us on any matter,"he said adding that the higher education minister repeatedly had said at public meetings that they would go forward and establish private universities but they did not consult university lecturers on that matter either.

If there was no positive response from the ministry before July 04 they would launch a continuous strike, he said.

The latest issue, he said, was the refusal of the Education Ministry to admit their children to popular schools violating the previous quota for university teachers.

"When our members went to the Education Ministry to discuss the matter, the education secretary summoned the police," Dr. Devasiri said.

He said that finally the education secretary alleged that university lecturers threatened him with death and UGC Chairman called for a report on a lecturer attached to the Sri Jayewardenepura University.

Until such harassments were stopped, university teachers would keep away from services to the Education Ministry including paper marking, Dr. Devasiri said adding FUTA executive committee endorsed all the decisions at yesterday’s meeting.

The Cartoon of the Day, The Island

UGC chief denies resignation bid, calls for national dialogue on higher education

May 27, 2012, 11:23 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe,the island

Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Prof. Gamini Samaranayake said yesterday that Sri Lanka needed a thorough dialogue on higher education as much focus was given only to the preliminary and secondary education at present.

Denying rumors that the UGC Chairman had tendered his resignation, Prof. Samaranayake said that some sections of the higher education sector wanted his resignation.

He said that a dialogue on higher education system should be held with the participation of all stakeholders.

"We will have to give much focus to university education," Prof. Samaranayake said.

He said Sri Lanka’s Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) – the youth between 18 and 24 years receiving higher education was 15%. It was 18% in India.

The UGC was planning to increase the GER to 20% and 30% by 2016 and 2020 respectively, Prof. Samaranayake said.

He said that action would be taken to develop the external degree programme with a view to increasing the GER.

"Some retrograde forces want to derail these programmes to achieve their political objectives," Prof. Samaranayake said, adding that they were responsible for spreading those rumours that he had resigned.

University dons meet tomorrow to plot their course

May 27, 2012, 11:25 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

University teachers would take several key decisions pertaining to the salary issue and the admission of their children to popular schools among other things at the executive committee meeting of the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) scheduled to be held tomorrow (29) at the Colombo University.

FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri told The Island that they would discuss the University Grants Commission Chairman’s decision to call for a report on an incident involving a lecturer of the Sri Jayewardenepura University at the Education Ministry recently.

There was a quota to admit children of university teachers to popular schools but education secretary scolded a FUTA delegation which had a meeting with him, Dr. Devasiri said.

Dr. Devasiri said some school principals too refused to admit university teachers’ children and they would discuss future course of action against it at tomorrow’s meeting.

The government was still turning a blind eye to their repeated appeals to increase the salaries of university teachers, the FUTA president said, adding that the higher education ministry had not given them an appointment for the past several weeks. He said the government had ignored the university teachers’ request for the allocation of at least 6% of the GDP to education.

Uni. non-academics threaten indefinite strike

May 25, 2012, 9:52 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe, the island


The non-academic staff including administrative officers of universities have decided to launch a continuous strike from June 6, in protest against the government’s failure to settle their longstanding grievances which include the rectification of salary anomalies.

President of the Inter University Trade Union Federation (IUTUF) R. M. Chandrapala said yesterday that the Higher Education Ministry was purposely delaying finding a solution to their grievances, which they had promised to deliver earlier.

"Ministry officials have postponed meetings with us four times during the last two months," he said, adding that this time they would flex their muscles."We met officers from the National Salaries and Cadre Commission on several occasions and they finally promised to give their recommendations soon, their promises were reneged on," Chandrapala said.

"All staff, from registrars to labourers, would join the strike scheduled for June 06," Chandrapala said.

Secretary to the Higher Education Ministry Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne said that they had been compelled to cancel meetings with university non-academic trade union as Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake was out of Colombo.

He said that they could not discuss the matter in the absence of the minister and after the cancellation the non-academics had not requested a discussion.

"We are not aware of any such all – out strike on June 06," Dr. Navaratne said.

Supreme Court rejects SB’s move

Thursday, 24 May 2012 20:52 , Dailymirror

The Supreme Court today rejected a move by Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake to constitute a Commission to look into the grievances of G.C.E (A/L) students who challenged the application of an alleged erroneous and unjustifiable formula to calculate the Z-Score of candidates of the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination held in August 2011.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Shirani A. Bandaranayake, Justices N.G. Amaratunga and K. Sripavan refused to allow the motion filed on behalf of the Minister of Higher Education.

The Court noted there was ample time granted for them to arrive at a solution and that the Court reserved the judgment for May 31 and the Respondents were directed to file written submissions before May 28.

Justice Sripavan said the Ministry of Higher Education had no authority to select students to the Universities and it was in the hands of the University Grants Commission and therefore enunciated that such an application could not be made.

The Court yesterday reserved its judgment to be delivered before June 30 on the rights petition challenging the application of an alleged erroneous and unjustifiable formula to calculate the Z-Score.

SC refuses AG’s motion on Z-Score

May 24, 2012, 9:27 pm

By Chitra Weerarathne, the island

The Supreme Court yesterday refused a motion filed on behalf of the Attorney General seeking permission to appoint a committee tasked with ascertaining whether the dispute over the Z-Score calculation in respect of the results of the August 2011 Advanced Level examination could be resolved in a manner acceptable to all parties.

The Court said yesterday that leave to proceed with the fundamental rights violation application, which complained of unacceptable procedure in calculating the z-score, had been granted on Feb. 13, 2012. The proceedings had been closed on May 10, 2012 and the judgment was reserved for the end of June, 2012, with ample time for new admissions. On May 16, 2012, an Attorney-at-Law for the Attorney General filed a motion to move Court to support a motion. The Bench of May 10, 2012 decided to take up the motion with notice to all parties.

The Senior State Counsel N. G. Pulle told the Court yesterday that the Attorney General had been requested by the Ministry of Higher Education, who had not been made a party to this application, to obtain permission to appoint a committee of experts to draft formula for GCE Advanced Level 2011 results. All the parties had conceded that the Ministry of Higher Education was not a party to the application.

According to the University Act, the Admission to the Universities was by the University Grants Commission, and not by the Ministry of Higher Education, the Court said adding that there had been ample time, from February to May 10, 2012, when the proceedings of the fundamental rights violation application were closed, to bring in suggestion for any settlement.

The Court refused the motion by the Attorney General, dated May 16, 2012.

Senior State Counsel N. G. Pulle appeared for the Attorney General.

Faiz Mustapha, PC, appeared for the UGC.

J. C. Weliamuna appeared for the student petitioner, who had filed the original fundamental rights violation application. Professor R. O. Thatil, Professor statistics of the Peradeniya University, made a respondent in the main petition, appeared for himself. The order in respect of the main petition by the students was reserved by the Court on May 10, 2012.

The Bench comprised the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice N. G. Pulle, and Justice K. Sripavan.

SB says 205 Uni lecturers sent abroad to complete PhD

May 22, 2012, 10:33 pm

By Saman Indrajith, the island

Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake told Parliament yesterday that the government had sent 205 university lecturers abroad, to complete their PhD degrees, last year alone.

He said that the ministry hopes to send a similar number of lecturers abroad this year too for the same purpose.

Responding to a question raised by UNP Hambantota District MP Sajith Premadasa, the minister said that eleven doctorate degree holders who left the country, effecting a ‘brain drain’ had been brought back with the initiatives taken by his ministry.

By allowing foreign students to enroll in the local universities, the government hopes to bring up the academic level in them to international standards, he said.

The need of the hour was to increase the academic standards in local universities. Countries, which have lower levels of per capita income compared to Sri Lanka, such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal offer scholarships to Sri Lankan students, he said.

The story of the National Schools

A page from an unwritten book on Politicization of Education

May 17, 2012, 6:47 pm, the island


by Eric J. de Silva

(This article first appeared in ‘The Island’ of Oct, 20, 2009. It is reproduced in view of its relevance to the current debate on an Education Ministry directive preventing National Schools admitting children from their counterparts after the GCE O/L examination. – Ed)

The Island of 13th October 2009 turned the spotlight on the shortcomings of a National School, namely Aluthgama Maha Vidyalaya in the Kalutara district. This is not the first time the media has drawn attention to such scandalous shortcomings in what are called National Schools. In fact, I have heard or read about much worse cases than this.

The term National School or ‘Jathika Pasala’, as far as I am aware, came into usage in the mid eighties, and the criteria laid down by the Education Ministry for selection of National Schools in 1985 reads as follows:

(A) The total school enrolment in the school should be 2000 or more.

(B) The school should have a well-established collegiate section, with a sufficient number of students in the science, arts and commerce streams.

(C) The A/L results of the school should indicate a reasonable academic standard.

(D) The buildings, furniture, equipment and other facilities should match the student numbers of the school.

(E) The school should be in a position to obtain adequate financial support from the school development society, past pupils’ association and other sources in the community.

(F) The school should be generally accepted by the community as one of the best in the region.

Not more than 18 schools were identified to be called National Schools at the time, and these were very well-known schools in the country, including a few in provincial capitals.

With the enactment of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987, the responsibility for the supervision and management of all schools, other than the National Schools described above, passed on to the Provincial Councils. The responsibility for supervising and managing National Schools remained with the central Ministry of Education.

The criteria laid down in 1985 seems to have been strictly followed during the early years, as could be seen from the fact that the number of National Schools increased by only five over a period of five years, bringing the total to 23 by 1989. In the meantime, the criteria laid down in 1985, was revised in 1990 to read as follows:

(A) The school should have 2000 or more students.

(B) The school should have 200 or more students in the GCE A/L science classes.

(C) Of the number of students appearing for the GCE A/L Examination during the previous three years, one third should have qualified for admission to universities each year.

(D) There should be adequate buildings, desks and chairs for all students.

(E) There should be adequate facilities for teaching technology related subjects.

(F) Laboratory facilities should be adequate to meet the requirements of all GCE O/L and A/L students.

(G) The annual income from facilities and services’ fees should exceed Rs.15,000.

(H) Residents should consider the school to be one of the leading schools in the locality.

(I) The school should have an effective School Development Society.

(J) The school should have an active Past Pupils’ Association.

Politicians step in, rationality departs?

It did not take much time for the term ‘National School’ to become a status symbol within the school system, and the prospect of being administered directly from the centre, located at ‘Isurupaya’ in Battaramulla, became a much sought after privilege! This is where politicians stepped in to get more and more schools in their electorates upgraded as National Schools, to gain mileage for themselves, even if it meant a mere change in the nameboard of the school, and the Ministry of Education happily granted its approval in contravention of its own criteria!

Thus, we find the number of National Schools going up to 37 by 1992 and then skyrocketing to 165 by 1994. With a General Election fast approaching, it was not too bad an idea for politicians to get a couple of schools upgraded in their electoral districts, if it could help to net in some votes. The Badulla district (a district for which I have a special fondness, as I had the good fortune to cut my teeth as CCS cadet there in 1960), registered the largest increase from just one in 1992 to 27 in 1994, for reasons that would not be too difficult to find! It was Sir John (Kotelawala) who said if you have the spoon in your hand, do serve yourself well!

When politicians take over micro-level management decisions, rationality departs, with the result that the number of National Schools increased in geometric progression (to use a Malthusian expression), during the period 1994 to 2000, and reached 317 by the latter year. The declaration of a school as a National School required only a nod of approval from the Minister of Education, as the officials were there merely to carry out his directives and not to question why. Tragically, politicisation had by now almost totally devoured the education system.

This is what the National Education Commission had to say, commenting on the situation that existed in 2003: "………the new category of a limited number of National Schools created in the early 1980s, using strict criteria to identify schools with very good facilities and offering quality education, has become meaningless and distorted, with the indiscriminate addition of schools that do not conform to these criteria. Currently, 40 of the 323 National Schools are 1C schools (without Science education at GCE Advanced Level) and one National School is a Type 2 school with classes to GCE Ordinary Level only." (Proposals for a National Policy Framework on General Education in Sri Lanka, December 2003).

Hardly had the ink dried on this and a few other home truths, that the above report said about the way the education system functioned, those who said so were sent home by the then President, and the commission itself reconstituted!

What price politicization?

(The writer welcomes comment and the expression of any dissenting views, in particular)

Jaffna undergrad assaulted

May 18, 2012, 10:21 pm

By Madura Ranwala,the island

A Jaffna university student who was assaulted yesterday morning had been admitted to Jaffna hospital, police said.

Police spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said that a fourth year student of the Art’s Faculty and former secretary of the students’ union had been attacked at the Kalam junction in Jaffna around 8. 30 am by four unidentified persons who had arrived on two motorcycles.

A spokesman for the Jaffna Hospital police post said that the student, Dharshanan (24), was being treated for laceration injuries on the head and contusions on the body but his conditions was not serious.

According to some online media reports, the student was assaulted just before the commencement of the Mullivaikkal memorial event organised by the students, which he was scheduled to address.

SP Rohana said that the attackers had not been traced yet.

Circular preventing A/L students from changing schools suspended

* Will be applied strictly for next batch

May 17, 2012, 10:55 pm , the island

by Zacki Jabbar

Amidst vociferous protests by parents and opposition political parties, the government said yesterday that the Education Ministry circular, preventing students from changing schools after passing the GCE (O/L) would not apply to those who had already enrolled at other schools.

Cabinet spokesman and Media Minister, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing in Colombo, said that based on representations made by parents of affected students the implementation of the circular had been temporarily relaxed, only in respect of those who had already obtained their leaving certificates and joined other national schools.

Stressing that the circular had not been rescinded, the Minister said that it would be applied strictly in the future.

Education Minister, Bandula Gunawardena said that the circular had been introduced after having obtained a cross section of views.

The government’s policy, he said was to develop all schools.

Gunawardena, said that the Ministry had decided to establish a mechanism to regulate international schools as well.

The Regulatory proposal had been presented to parliament, he said, adding that it would be enforced immediately after its ratification.

Asked about the controversial ‘Z score’ issue, Minister Gunawardena said that the matter was before Court and it would be better for all concerned to await the ruling.

University Employees Union protest