| At last a civilized debate on free education (at least, until SB opens his mouth)
By Namini Wijedasa, Lakbima News
Like any other trade union action, the strike by university lecturers will have to end in the coming weeks. It is only a question of time, and of an appropriate exit strategy. Several ministers have already indicated that a draft agreement is ready for signing between the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) and the state. It is expected to define the government’s commitments in response to the many demands put forward by FUTA. “It has been finalized,” said Economic Development minister Basil Rajapaksa, who is leading negotiations with FUTA after their talks with Higher Education minister S.B. Dissanayake broke down. Relations between the academics and Dissanayake are acrimonious. “The Higher Education and Education ministers have approved the draft that we agreed on,”  Rajapaksa said. “Now we need approval from other quarters, including from Treasury secretary P.B. Jayasundere. This strike will definitely be settled.” ‘Not just a university issue’ Despite this assurance – which will be welcomed by students whose lectures, exam dates and graduation dates have been badly affected – a large number of trade unions joined up on Thursday for a rally supporting higher government investment in the education sector. Marching in procession to Hyde Park were members of clergy, university lecturers from around the country, industrial workers, school teachers and principals, non academic university staff, medical workers, journalists, free trade zone employees, lawyers, women’s groups, posts, telecommunication and railway workers, food, beverages and tobacco industries staff, electricity workers, transport service workers, some state sector employees and unemployed graduates. The procession and ensuing public meeting were peaceful. Although some attendees claimed to have seen a contingent of riot police around Hyde Park, they were not in evidence when this reporter attended the rally. There was no water cannon, no military, and police presence was minimal. Mahim Mendis, FUTA spokesman, said they had advised students to keep away from the march. “We did not want them to participate in the procession because any provocative action by the government would have led to a massive crisis,” he said. Mendis said students were furious the universities were indefinitely shut down by the minister last week. However, students are also divided over the academics’ strike which has been going on for nearly two months. Hyde Park was not brimming over with people but it was clear that FUTA had put on a respectable show. Many lecturers wore orange or black t-shirts with the words ‘6% Save Education’ and ‘6% GDP for Education.’ On the stage, speaker after speaker stressed on the importance of saving, enhancing and protecting free education which everyone agreed was in deep crisis. There was little or no party politics although the government was criticized over wastage and corruption. Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera was among several Buddhist prelates at the rally. The influential and widely respected prelate who heads the National Movement for Social Justice urged all members of the public to join their campaign. This was not just a “university issue,” he said. It was a fight to safeguard free education. The rain pelted down as he spoke; an aide held up an umbrella. All around them, people got drenched. Many huddled futilely under umbrellas, sometimes three persons to each. But they did not leave. And once the rain stopped, proceedings went on smoothly as before. ‘Don't mess’ An old couple in a blue three-wheeler attracted a lot of attention. They had hung a placard on the side of the vehicle that read: “Don’t mess with our granddaughter’s right to free education.” The woman said she was 80 while her husband was “83, not out.” She had been a nurse for 34 years while his background was in banking. Neither of them wanted to be named. “Poor people have lot of difficulties educating their children,” the woman explained. “I saw in the papers that when the president goes abroad he takes 58 people with him. Where do they find the money for that? That money should go to education. Can’t they give up some of their spending to buy books for children?” Mendis said the government has committed in principle to spend 6% of GDP on education, something that evolved into one of FUTA’s main demands. “But we want a very clear commitment in writing about how they will do this in this year’s budget, in next year’s budget and thereafter,” he stressed. “The government is notorious for making unfulfilled promises to students.” Regardless of how the FUTA strike ends, there is no argument that it has spurned a lively debate about the future of free education in Sri Lanka. And the subject is being examined for the most part (at least when Minister Dissanayake does not open his mouth) in a civilized and productive manner. |
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Won’t these lecturers learn a lesson from politicos?
5th Column
the SUNDAY TIMES
My Dear SB,
I thought I must write to you to congratulate you on your latest achievement in ordering the closure of all universities in the country. With this decision, you will take us a step closer to becoming the ‘knowledge hub’ of Asia!
I know that many people are opposed to closing the universities, SB, but I think you took a brave decision that most of your cabinet colleagues would not have taken. In fact, it would be like Bandula cancelling the Advanced Level examination because of the ‘Z-score’ fiasco!
In fact, SB, I feel sorry for you because you seem to be at the centre of this controversy through no fault of your own. Bandula’s officials messed up the ‘Z’ score and you have been taken to task for that but Bandula is an old friend of yours, and I’m sure you wouldn’t mind the extra publicity!
And of course, we know what to expect from you. You are someone who spoke your mind even about decisions of the Supreme Court. So, if a bunch of university lecturers believe that they can beat you at this game, they must be sadly mistaken.
I am told that most of the problems in the universities these days are because these lecturers are demanding higher salaries. Now, at a time when Mahinda maama is doing his utmost to pay for contaminated diesel, election campaigns and international cricket tournaments, that is not fair, is it?
And it is good that you shut down all the universities because, judging by what we see on television, these university lecturers seem to be spending most of their time either holding news conferences or leading protest marches, instead of teaching at their universities.
So, even if the careers of thousands of undergraduates get delayed by a few months or even years, it would be good to shut down the universities for a while. At the very least, it would save us some electricity that Champika could put to good use to reduce the number of hours of the power cuts.
The lecturers are also asking that six per cent of government money be spent on education. Now, SB, you must tell them to mind their own business. How can you give them that kind of money when we have to bid for the Commonwealth Games, run Mihin Air and spend money on hedging deals?
These university lecturers, I am told, are also fond of saying that they are the best minds in the country and that therefore they should be paid better. They often point out that even a pradeshiya sabha manthree gets a higher salary and more privileges but I think that is not a valid argument.
Surely, becoming a pradeshiya sabha manthree is more difficult than becoming a university lecturer. It is true that you have to study hard, pass through numerous obstacles like the ‘Z’ score, then study some more at university to become a university lecturer.
But what most people don’t realise is that the preparation to become a pradeshiya sabha manthree is even harder. Why, you have to grease the palms of party officials, spend millions of rupees on campaigning and then fight with your colleagues for the manaapey to get elected.
So, SB, I agree with you when the government says that university lecturers don’t deserve the salary increase they are demanding when all they have to do is study hard and get through a few exams — and even that is made easier when free marks are given because of errors in the question papers.
In fact, I would suggest, SB, that politicians should get a salary increase instead. Why, just a few years after getting elected — and when you are still trying to recover all the money you spent in trying to get elected — you have to go through it all over again at the next elections!
You don’t have to worry about such issues, SB. I am sure your re-election is assured even at the next elections, whenever that may be. That is because the wisest decision you made in your political career was to abandon the Greens and return to the Blues, where you are content to keep a low profile.
In a way, it is best that you left the Blues and returned because had you stayed with them, I am sure you would have fought with Mahinda maama to become Satellite’s successor. And if that happened, by now you would be either in jail or a senior minister — I am not sure which is better.
I think that Mahinda maama has taken a wise decision to put you, a former student union leader, in charge of higher education, Bandula, a former tuition master, in charge of education and Grero, the owner of an international school to ‘monitor’ education. At last, education is on the right track.
So, I wish you the best of luck in your dealings with the university lecturers, SB, although you wouldn’t need a lot of it. That is because you can count on Bandula to create a bigger impact sooner or later — and whatever you do will be insignificant compared to that!
Yours truly,
Punchi Putha
PS: It is indeed a pity that you are not the sports minister now. If you were, maybe we could have won another medal at the Olympics this year. Why, You-know-who would still be running and if you were still the minister, she would be running even harder and we could have even won the gold medal!
Playing Bandu with our education
By Chandani Kirinde, Our Lobby Correspondent , the SUNDAY TIMES
State education sector in a tailspin as ministering angels’ blame game goes to ridiculous extremes
View(s): Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena’s contention in Parliament last week was that, neither he nor Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayaka should be blamed for the problems that have engulfed the country’s state education sector in the past few months.
Instead, he chose to shift the blame on officials and experts within the education sector, for the recent muddle ranging from the Z-score calculation issue to faulty question papers given to Advanced Level (A/L) students. While it goes without saying that a minister depends heavily on officials to steer the activities of the ministries that come under their purview, in the right direction, they can in no way wash their hands of all responsibility for the mess-up in both the secondary and higher education sectors.
Minister Gunwardena’s attempt to justify the errors that were in the A/L examination papers, by saying such errors took place even in papers set for Cambridge exams in the UK, and that the number of errors was negligible percentage-wise, was also disheartening.
The Education Minister’s comments in Parliament came in response to several queries raised by JVP Parliamentary Group Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake who asked why there was such a high incidence of errors in A/L question papers, and what action would be taken to ensure that the forthcoming Z-score marks for this year’s examination would be calculated accurately. Instead of answers, what Minister Gunawardena did was read from numerous paper cuttings, to show that even in Sri Lanka, under previous education ministers too, similar problems had cropped up, and that the present uproar against him was an attempt to discredit him and the Government.
His equally embattled Cabinet counterpart, Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayaka too had to face questions from the Opposition, about his decision to close higher education institutions, with the Minister defending his decision, saying that it was necessary in the wake of the ongoing strike by the university academic staff. He dismissed claims by UNP Kurunegala District MP Dayasiri Jayasekera that the Minister had no authority to close these institutions.
However, the Minister said he had used the powers vested in him under the Universities Act of 1978, after consulting the relevant authorities, to close these institutes until further notice. Only the Medical faculties in the relevant universities remain open.
For now, both education ministers have stuck stubbornly to their positions, instead of trying to address the various issues that have come up, in an atmosphere of cordiality. For now, it’s likely that, the woes of the education sector as a whole will continue, unless the problems are dealt with the seriousness and urgency they deserve.
Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayaka
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Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena
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External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris had to once again respond to questions raised by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), by way of an adjournment motion in Parliament, on the measures taken to implement the recommendations of the LLRC.
“We are legitimately proud of our achievements during the last three years. In other countries, it has taken over a decade for normalcy to return after the end of a protracted war,” he said.
The Minister said that Mr. Sampanthan, in his speech, had dwelled exclusively on the past, and such a tactic was not constructive to achieving long term peace.
TNA Parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan who moved the motion, said that the National Plan of Action to implement the recommendations of the LLRC, had not been formulated after due consultation with Parliament or the democratically elected representatives of the affected people.
He also brought up the issue of accountability, saying it is one issue that will not go away until there is honourable peace. “We don’t seek confrontation, but at the same time, this cannot be swept under the carpet and forgotten about. There has to be honourable peace for genuine reconciliation,” he said.
Leader of the House, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva, who wound up the debate on behalf of the Government, blamed non-cooperation on the part of the TNA for the delay in finding a solution to the country’s national problem.
“Had the TNA named members to the Parliamentary Select Committee that has been mooted by the Government to find a solution to the national issue, proposals would have been finalised by now,” he said.
FUTA Will Courageously Defend The Rights Of The People
By Dr. Mahim Mendis, The Sunday Leader
The
members of the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA)
appeal to the people to express solidarity with their national level
trade union struggle demanding for 6% of the GDP on education since we
need to protect state education and also collectively provide vital
checks and balances to the process of governance in Sri Lanka. Academics
need to ensure that public policy formulation in all sectors, not just
education, will be influenced by them with their strong academic
credentials. Also academics together with the clergy and other civil and
political society leaders have a strong mandate to enlighten the people
on all matters.
This we did convincingly through our historic public meeting at Hyde
Park on 23rd August 2012, with eminent members of the trade union
movement like Bala Tampoe and Most Venerable Madhuluwawe Sobhitha Thero
addressing the people. FUTA watchers including those of the NIB know
quite well about our capacity to mobilize people with short notice
whether it be in Colombo, Rajarata, Jaffna or in Ruhuna. They also know
that we cannot be silenced since top FUTA leaders are well known to
millions of people here and abroad.
We of the FUTA believe that the onus is equally on the citizenry to hold
their governments responsible for irresponsible utterances and actions
of ministers and public officials. Ironically, it has now come to a
stage where the people need to plead with those whom they elected that
they be responsible as their humble servants. In Sri Lanka, the
‘Servants’ have become the ‘Masters’ and such a topsy-turvy situation
needs to be reversed today and not tomorrow.
As stated by Bernard Shaw, “the people get the government they deserve”,
and we know that the people do not deserve a political regime with a
near total absence of democratic accountability whether it be on
elections, rule of law and administration of justice, ethno-political
crisis and the LLRC Recommendations, Human Rights, Petroleum, Power and
Energy, Public Health or Education. On all these frontiers,
international benchmarks have totally collapsed and you cannot be silent
any more. No amount of Presidential Commissions will solve these
problems either!!!
The academics of Sri Lanka have watched with extreme patience as to how
the politicians as servants of the people behave by shamelessly
prostituting the will of the people, crossing over from one side to
another, proving abundantly to their masters, the people, that they do
not care a damn for what the people think. They probably believe that
they are sure of winning elections even by taking into custody the chief
presidential candidate before the first proper electoral results are
released. They also believe that current cabinet ministers should tie
people to trees to discipline them as done by eminent Dr Mervyn De
Silva, a topmost minister with international credentials.
The FUTA has proved to the people that Sri Lankan academics are not a
docile community and will not allow this country to perish in broad
daylight. We can only appeal to the President, in the way we would
appeal to any leader in the future to be careful of those in government
ranks who do not even respect the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.
To get back to the ongoing struggle of the FUTA, all what I need to
state with an absolute seriousness of purpose is that we consider it our
bounden duty towards the people of Sri Lanka to commit the government
to the UN benchmarks on education. The Minister of Higher Education
probably believes that we are now a part of an international conspiracy
to display this benchmark of ‘6% of GDP on FUTA T-Shirts!!!’ Such is the
level of thinking of these ministers at the helm, bringing shame to the
President habitually and on a daily basis. After all it is not so long
ago that they protested against the United Nations Organization with
cabinet ministers fasting unto death in the UN compound, making the
people of this country, an international laughing stock.
The FUTA struggle demonstra-tes that academics cannot be satisfied with
99% literacy at primary level of education, that Minister Bandula
Gunawardene boasts abo-ut, and that too with half of the schools without
proper lavatory facilities. We need to remind the President and the
Cabinet of Ministers, that mere primary level literacy is absolutely
inadequate to civilize the people, including those who wish to be
politicians and academics.
Primary level literacy is mere ability to read and write letters and
numbers,without putting the ‘thumb mark’ as a person’signature.
Secondary level literacy is the ability to reproduce knowledge which has
only reached a little more than half of the population. But academics
are concerned about what would happen to this beautiful land of their
birth if tertiary level literacy remains so low with approximately 15%.
That number comes only when university education is combined with
technical and vocational education, as pointed out by many. University
education is university education and we look to the day the vast
majority of people will graduate from universities, to indicate that we
have a rational citizenry with independent thinking. Not Traitors and
Patriots.
With primary level literacy we cannot prevent elected members from
prostituting the will of the people either. Also, 90% literacy at
primary level is not the achievement of the present regime and this was
there when the minister himself was a student.
All what his ministry has done is to close down the schools that existed
many years ago and mess up the entire education system including the
examinations as seen in Z-Score Fiasco. This same minister claimed in
Parliament this month that we are still better than the British
Education System with regard to examination evaluations. So how can the
Z-Score be a problem to this government?
Tertiary level literacy which is University Degree Level and above,
enables a person to critically understand a message that is disseminated
and provide an intellectual perspective of ones own.
It is for this that the country should be able to attract the best
qualified men and women to serve the universities; a task that has
become humanly impossible without internationally competitive salaries
for those with top academic credentials. This is a demand that we made
last year. In accepting an Interim Solution in July 2011, we only wanted
the government to respect the recommendations on salaries made by their
own Malik Ranasinghe and Jiffrey Committee in 2008. So, it is
meaningless telling the people that we have been given 80% increase in
salaries since their own benchmark is yet to be implemented while
interim understandings have been blatantly disregarded.
This waste of time will further aggravate Brain Drain, leading to a
total collapse of the educational and moral oder. Highways and harbours
or no amount of economic development will make a country developed if
the people remain ignorant and in chains. The work of Indian Nobel
Laureate and Harvard Economist Amartya Sen should be read by those in
government if economists in Sri Lanka are not taken seriously by this
government.
It is not surprising that the political leadership at different levels
cannot distinguish the difference between good and evil, with an
‘anything goes’ attitude.
In this country, those alleged to have committed multiple murders are
allowed to go free, if they say they have forgotten all what happened,
since those in government probably have no understanding of good and
evil. If we point out what is evil, we would be treated as traitors in
line with the dominant ideology.
The government should realize that there is no international conspiracy
when we talk about our principal demand which is the UNESCO Benchmark of
6% of the GDP on education.
Also they should realize that if international benchmarks created by the
United Nations are made a mockery, not only with regard to education,
but also with regard to fundamental instruments such as the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, we certainly would mobilize all local,
international and even extra-terrestrial forces to safeguard the future
of this country. This is because, for academics the future direction of
the Sri Lankan state is more important than the future of the present
government or a future government.
Let all people unite in meeting the demands of the academic community,
not only with regard to education but also in creating a just social,
political, economic, cultural and moral order as stated clearly by the
courageous monk, Venerable Madhuluwawe Sobhitha Thero in addressing
thousands of people in pouring rain at Hyde Park Rally.
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