Unique You

January 25, 2012, 7:51 pm , The Island.


Former President of India,
Dr. Abdul Kalam’s Address at University of Moratuwa
Colombo

22 January 2012

I am delighted to address and interact with the Students and Faculty Members of the University of Moratuwa in this beautiful environment of Colombo. My greetings to all of you. I found that the University has chosen the motto "Vidyaiwa Sarwadhanam – meaning Wisdom is all Wealth". This has an important and powerful message to all the students and faculty members. The study of the website of the University indicates that the University has a vision "To be the most globally recognized Knowledge Enterprise in Asia". With this vision, the University has a mission "produce world class graduates in technological fields who will be relevant nationally and internationally". I am happy to know that the students of the university are self confident, flexible, highly employable and are trained to become "employment creators" instead of being "employment seekers". I congratulate the pioneers both present and past who have created and nurtured a robust educational system in the University of Moratuwa during the last 33 years. Today, I would like to share few thoughts on the topic "Unique You".

First let us see the ten unique personalities,.

Unique You

Dear friends, Look up, what do you see, the light, the electric bulbs. Immediately, our thoughts go to the inventor Thomas Alva Edison, for his unique contribution towards the invention of electric bulb and his electrical lighting system.

When you hear the sound of aero-plane going over your house, whom do you think of? Wright Brothers proved that man could fly, of-course at heavy risk and cost.

Whom does the telephone remind you of? Of course, Alexander Graham Bell.

When everybody considered a sea travel as an experience or a voyage, aunique person questioned during his sea travel from United Kingdom to India. He was pondering on why the horizon where the sky and sea meet looks blue? His research resulted in the phenomena of scattering of light. Of course, Sir CV Raman was awarded Nobel Prize.

Do you know an Indian Mathematician who did not have formal higher education but had inexhaustible spirit and love for mathematics which took him to contribute to the treasure houses of mathematical research – some of which are still under serious study and engaging all-available world mathematicians’ efforts to establish formal proofs? He was a unique Indian genius who could melt the heart of the most hardened and outstanding Cambridge mathematician Prof G H Hardy. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that it was Prof. Hardy who discovered a great mathematician for the world. This mathematician was of-course Srinivasa Ramanujan for whom every number was a divine manifestation.

Do you know the scientist who is famous for Chandra Limit which describes the maximum mass (~1.44 solar masses) of a white dwarf star, or equivalently, the minimum mass for which a star will ultimately collapse into a neutron star to black hole following a supernova. Two of his students got the Nobel Prize before him. It is of-course the famous Nobel Laureate Chandrasekhar Subrmaniam .

Friends, there was a great scientific lady who is known for discovering Radium. She won not one, but two Nobel Prizes, one for physics and another for chemistry. Who is she? She is Madam Curie. Madam Curie discovered radium and she was doing research on the effect of radiation on human system. The same radiation which she discovered, affected her and she sacrificed her life for removing the pain of human life.

Do you know about a great human being with a spirit of service, who also won a Nobel Prize for her contributions? She said and practiced, "Give, give and give, until it hurts". She is Mother Teresa.

Do you know the Sri Lankan Physicist, academician and economist who had worked on energy, sustainable development and climate change and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize along with Mr Al Gore in 2007? Of course he is the great Prof. Mohan Munasinghe.

Arthur Clarke, the visionary in space communication who made Sri Lanka his home revolutionized the world with his concept of geostationary communication satellites

Do you know the cosmic ray scientist who transformed into institution builder of institutions like Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad – Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Indian Space Research Organisation? Of course he is the visionary Prof Vikram Sarabhai.

When I described to you young friends, these historical ten events, you all jumped. The scientist, technologist and great human being, who created the event, are unique personalities. Young friends, can you join such unique performers of scientific history? Yes, you can. Definitely, you can. Let us study together, how it can be made possible?

Friends, I have, so far, met 12 million youth in a decade’s time. I learnt, "every youth wants to be unique, that is, YOU! But the world all around you, is doing its best, day and night, to make you just "everybody else". At home, dear young friends, you are asked by your parents to be like neighbours’ children for scoring good marks. When you go to school, your teacher says "why not you become like the first five rankers in the class". Wherever you go, they are saying "you have to be somebody else or everybody else".

The challenge, my young friends, is that you have to fight the hardest battle, which any human being can ever imagine to fight; and never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined place, that is, a UNIQUE YOU! Friends what will be your tools to fight this battle, what are they: have a great aim in life, continuously acquire the knowledge, work hard and persevere to realize the great achievement.

Dear friends, when I see you all, I am thinking how you can achieve what you envision in your life?

Criteria for achievement for youth

How does achievement come? There are four proven steps; having an aim in life before 20 years of age, acquiring knowledge continuously, hard work towards the aim and perseverance to defeat the problem and succeed. In this connection let me recall famous verses of 13th century Persian Sufi poet Jalaluddin Rumi:

Wings to Fly

"You were born with potential.

You were born with goodness and trust.

You were born with ideas and dreams.

You were born with greatness.

You were born with wings.

You are not meant for crawling,

so don’t, you have wings.

Learn to use them to fly."

- Jalaluddin Rumi

- 13th Century Persian Sufi Poet

My message to you, young friends, is that education gives you wings to fly. Achievement comes out of fire in our sub-conscious mind that "I will win". So, each one of you assembled here and elsewhere, will have "Wings of Fire". The Wing of Fire will indeed lead to knowledge which will make you a great technologist, or an Engineer, or a designer, or a teacher, or a political leader, or a bureaucrat or a diplomat or you would like to walk on the Moon and Mars or anything you want to be. I would like to assert that "No youth today need to fear about the future". How? The ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, under the earth and above the earth.

System design, system integration and system management

Since I am in the midst of students being prepared for techno-managerial expertise, I would like to give my experience with a teacher who taught me system design, system integration and system management in an integrated learning environment.

While I was studying Aeronautical Engineering in Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Chennai, (1954-57), during the third year of my course, I was assigned a project with five other colleagues, to design a low-level attack aircraft. I was given the responsibility of system design and system integration by integrating the team members. Also, I was responsible for aerodynamic and structural design of the project. The other five members of my team took up the design of propulsion, control, guidance, avionics and instrumentation of the aircraft. My design teacher Prof. Srinivasan, the then Director of MIT, was our guide. He reviewed the project and declared my work to be gloomy and disappointing. He didn’t lend an ear to my difficulties in bringing together data-base from multiple designers. I asked for a month’s time to complete the task, since I had to get the inputs from five of my other colleagues without which I cannot complete the system design. Prof. Srinivasan told me "Look, young man, today is Friday afternoon. I give you three days time, by Monday morning if I don’t get the configuration design, your scholarship will be stopped." I had a jolt in my life, as scholarship was my lifeline, without which I cannot continue with my studies. There was no other way out, but to finish the task. My team felt the need for working together round the clock. We didn’t sleep that night, working on the drawing board skipping our dinner. On Saturday, I took just an hour’s break. On Sunday morning, when I was near completion, I felt someone’s presence in my laboratory. It was Prof. Srinivasan studying my progress. After looking at my work, he patted and hugged me affectionately. He had words of appreciation: "I knew I was putting you under stress and asking you to meet a difficult deadline. You have done a great job in system design".

Through this review mechanism of Prof Srinivasan, I was injected the necessity of understanding the value of time by each team member and brought out the best from the system design team. I realized that if something is at stake, the human minds get ignited and the working capacity gets enhanced manifold. That’s what exactly happened. The message is: whatever be their specialization, the students should be trained to systems approach and projects, which will prepare them for new products, innovation and undertaking higher organizational responsibilities. A great teacher inspires the young students like Prof. Srinivasan.

I am confident that the University of Moratuwa will break all the inter-disciplinary barriers and promote inter-disciplinary research among the students and faculty members.

To be continued tomorrow

Japanese educationalist puzzled by Lankan university protest

January 25, 2012, 9:51 pm , The Island.


By Jayantha de Silva

The current wave of university students’ strikes over the establishment of private universities and the presentation of the private university bill was viewed negatively by two eminent educationalists from Japan.

"In Japan only 20 percent are state universities. In contrast to Sri Lanka Japanese university students ceased to resort to strikes to win their demands since the 70’s, said Professor Kondo Yuichi, Dean of Admissions, of the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) and Professor of the College of Asia Pacific Studies, in an exclusive interview with The Island on Tuesday (24).

The APU signed agreements with D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo and Trinity College Kandy to offer scholarships to students of the two schools to study at APU.

The Principal of D. S. Senanayake College, Dayaratne Dissanayake and the Principal of Trinity College, Brig. Udaya Ariyaratne and Prof. Kondo Yuichi of APU signed the agreements.

Prof. Yuichi said Sri Lanka also should have private universities due to the fact that the central government’s resources were limited. Private universities’ mission is to identify what to teach’ in context of the National Policy.

He called for the private universities to be empowered with the right to award a wider spectrum of higher degrees with a view to mould future leaders of Asia.

When queried as to how the examinations should be conducted, he explained that one examination could be held by the university itself and the second examination to be held at the national level by the government, thus eliminating a lowering of academic standards.

Asked how the less affluent student segments could gain entry to the private universities he said that in Japan such students were granted long term low interest loans amounting to almost zero interests.

A stipulated requirement was that the loans had to be repaid once the recipients were gainfully employed.

Governments were progressively getting weak.

Sri Lanka should take a cue from Korea and western nations where private universities were in the main stream of education, the Professor noted.

Referring to the advantages students stand to accrue in private universities he explained that by empowering private universities to design their own programmes of studies, it enabled students to select courses according to their aspirations.

Ms. Ikue Matsumo, Senior Admission Counsellor of the (APU) said that opening of private universities augured well for Sri Lanka.

Speaking on modalities on entry requirements, she advocated a minimum three passes at GCE A/L for entry should be stipulated.

She justified low entry requirements as "more can gain entry" to the university.

In addition, a score of 5.5 in IELTS and the stipulated standard in TOFEL should be made mandatory, she said.

Atomic Energy Authority out to control cowboys operating X-ray machines

January 25, 2012, 9:49 pm, The Island.

By Pabodha Hettige

The National Atomic Energy Authority (NAEA) wants all operators of X-ray machines to obtain a license in order to prevent hazards caused by radiation, Chairman of the authority Dr. Ranjith Wijewardene said. The license would be issued for two years ensuring that the machines are not substandard and the public is protected from the radiation emitted by the machines.

"The Radiation Protection Division of the NAEA had started to inspect the machines in operation acting on complaints received from the public and legal action had been instituted against several technicians," he said.

According to NAEA Chairman the authority had discovered x-ray leakages and unclear images in sub standard x-ray machines used at several places.

Exposure to radiation could result in inducing cancer. Most of the sub-standard machines were unable to control the dose of radiation emitted.

Currently there were 740 X-ray machines registered under the NAEA in countrywide hospitals and medical laboratories. The authority had also sent letters to nearly 20 laboratories operating without licence for immediate registration.

The NAEA requests the public to obtain services from a registered X-ray technician and the public is also requested to inform the NAEA about the unregistered places on numbers 011-2533427/8.

SB hums different tune after his claims are countered

Former Exam Chief strikes discordant note

January 25, 2012, 9:38 pm , The Island.


by Dasun Edirisinghe

Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake yesterday claimed that he had wanted Prof. R. O. Thattil on the panel of experts which introduced a new Z score formula combining the results of old and new syllabuses at the last GCE (A/L), but the Examination Department and the University Grants Commission opposed his appointment to the panel.

Addressing a news conference at the UGC Auditorium, Minister Dissanayake said that he couldn’t override their decisions.

Former Secretary to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Prof. R. P. Gunawardena on Tuesday criticized the government for not including Prof. Thattil in the panel that worked out the new Z score formula.

Answering a question raised by a journalist, Minister Dissanayake agreed that the then Education and Higher Education Minister selected Prof. Thattil’s proposal to implement the ‘Z’ – Score scheme during 2000/ 2001 from 11 other proposals.

"When I suggested Prof. Thattil’s name to the panel, the Examinations Department opposed it on grounds that Prof. Thattil had submitted a letter to Court in favour of a student who had filed a case against the Examinations Department and UGC," he said.

Dissanayake said that the UGC too opposed Prof Thattil’s appointment as there were several audit queries against the Professor when he was working as the Director of the Peradeniya University’s Post Graduate Institute.

The Minister also said that the ‘Z’ – score system was the best measurement to select students to the universities.

When contacted by The Island, former Commissioner General of Examinations Anura Edirisinghe denied Minister Dissanayake’s claim that the Examinations Department objected to the appointment of Prof. Thattil.

"We neither opposed nor agreed with Prof. Thattil’s appointment to the panel," he said adding that the Examinations Department was not aware of the experts in the panel until it was officially announced.

UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake said Prof. Thattil was not the only statistician in the country.

"There is no doubt he’s an expert, but we appointed a five-member experts committee," he said adding that they had focused on experts to access easily as they were residing in Colombo suburbs.

He said that they also wanted to include the Vice Chancellor of the Peradeniya University in the panel, but it was cancelled due to the fact he was in Kandy.

Prof. Samaranayake said that they had invited another expert who worked with Prof. Thattil but he declined to join the panel.

He declined to comment on audit queries against Prof. Thattil.

University Teachers’ wages, 1961 and 2010 and education policy

January 24, 2012, 12:00 pm , The Island.


by Usvatte-aratchi

There is much discussion about the behaviour of teachers, both at school and at university. Many older people recall, no doubt with some selective memory lapses, that in the decade of the 1950s, the work of their teachers both at school and at university was by and large without blemish and in fact exemplary. They were dedicated to their students and their teaching. They worked after hours without payment, supplementary to their wages. There was no room for private tuition as teachers did a fine job of teaching in school. Teachers whether at school or at university managed to meet their expenses with what they earned as wages and any supplementary income they had from sources other than private tuition which they did not engage in. It was never heard that teachers sought or were offered illegal and illicit payments for favours to students. There were cases where managers of Assisted Schools had cheated teachers of their due wages but neither students nor their parents were victims. There were stories of officials in the Education Department and sometimes Ministers of Education seeking illegal payments from teachers and again students were not touched by these. Teachers both at school and at university lived reasonably comfortable lives, sent their children to good schools, mostly public, and were prominent and respected citizens in their neighourhood.

Those who were in university in the humanities faculties, mostly in Peradeniya, speak of a fine faculty of teachers. At least some of them were outstanding scholars and fine teachers.

In 2010, there is widespread grave dissatisfaction with teachers in both schools and universities. Teachers in schools do not teach properly in the class room. Students go out for private tuition. The same teachers as those that teach in schools conduct private tuition classes. A few well known tuition masters conduct classes in many parts of the country. Both heads of schools and teachers are accused of financial impropriety, sometimes in large amounts. A President of the Republic once publicly alleged that the Education Ministry was the second most corrupt government agency in the nation. There is a huge demand from students for tuition outside the school class room. Students who sit for the A’Level Examination for the second time do not learn in school but almost entirely in tuition classes. Whether unsatisfactory teacher behaviour in schools feeds this demand for private tuition is difficult to be certain about. There is far more severe competition for places in schools and universities now than there was in 1960 (about). Parents are far more sophisticated and far better educated in 2010 than in 1960. That perhaps drives them to get children to tuition in the hope that tuition might help the student to gain that fraction of a mark pushing him into the medical faculty from the science. Japan has a strong system of public schools. Yet the demand for juku or cram shops is very strong. One in five first year students in primary school and nearly all university-bound high-school children attend juku [The Economist, December 31, 2011]. The Republic of Korea has much the same features. It is difficult to ascertain to what degree bad teaching in schools contributes to the demand for private tuition but that it does contribute is not in doubt.

We must at the same time recall that competition to enter some government schools is intense. It is not simply schools like Visakha Vidyalaya and D.S.Senanayake Vidyalaya which attract students but also Debarawewa Maha Vidyalaya and Central College Kuliyapitiya. Parents want to admit children to those schools because there are good teachers in them. I have heard about excellent teachers and scholars in our universities. There are good teachers and bad teachers both in schools and in universities now as there were of old. However, the noise about poor teaching drowns the piccolo high notes of praise that we hear in this cacophony.

Why bad teachers?

Many have spoken and written about ‘moral decay’ in society and among teachers to account for these changes in behaviour. I have bothered myself for long that there must be some more substantial material incentives for this alleged drastic change in behaviour on the part of teachers. A good place to begin with is the wages of teachers, both at school and at university. I imagine that if teachers are drastically less well paid now compared to of old, there would be a dramatic change for the worse in teacher’s behaviour. To establish that teachers are now less well paid than earlier, it is necessary to see changes in real wages paid to them in say around 1960 and 2010. I do not have the resources to mount that enterprise. So I sought a substitute way, rough though it be. Please note that I am interested in WAGES paid to teachers and not their total income.

The fall in real wages

of teachers

My base year for these comparisons is 1961 and the end year 2010; reasons there for will appear later. I put the figures in the following table.

[Income figures are from the Central Bank. Figures about teachers’ wages are my responsibility. I collected those for 1961 from memory and sought confirmation from knowledgeable friends. For 2010, the figures are from teachers currently in employ.]

Let me explain the numbers. Annual income per person is obtained by dividing the annual income of the nation [GDP] into the mid-year population of that year. The figures are in prices for that year. The annual wages of school teachers are what a graduate teacher was paid in his first year of appointment to that post, in fact what I was paid in 1959 when I was a school teacher for 3 months. Similarly, the wages of a university teacher are what were paid in her first year of work as a university teacher. I used a graduate teacher’s wages as indicative of teachers’ wages. One could have worked with some average of school teachers’ wages and similarly for university teachers. It raises logical and practical problems, as we will need wages over a lifetime and figures of average income of persons over some forty years of work of a teacher. With my resources these ends are not attainable. For the rough sort of argument I make, I have the necessary data, in the table above.

In columns IV and V, I show the ratio of wages to annual income per person in the country. It tells you how the wages paid to a teacher compared with the income of the average person in the country. I derived a ratio so that I can compare the figures for 1961with those for 2010. Otherwise it would have been necessary for me to express 2010 wages in 1961 prices. When I derive ratios I compare ‘pure’ numbers untrammelled by price considerations.

Let us compare now. In 1961 a school teacher was paid four and a half times the average income of a person in the country. In 2010, he was paid just a little below the average income of a person in the country. In 1961, university teachers earned ten times the average income of a person in the country, in 2010 no more than twice. There has been a sharp drop in the ratio of wages paid to teachers whether at school or at university relative to the average income of a person in the country. Relative wages of school and university teachers have fallen roughly five times over the 50 years. Consequently relative wages between school teachers and university teachers have remained roughly the same. Do you want more reasons to explain changes in the behaviour patterns of school and university teachers?

Harsha Aturupana [Treasures of the education system in Sri Lanka, Figure 3.9] pointed out that real wages of school teachers in relation to the real wages of other government servants had fallen severely between 1995 and 2002. Between those two years no other category of government employees [not even unskilled labour] had lost relative real wages as teachers did.

In most rich countries, a fresh teacher’s wages are very close to the average income of a citizen and that of a young university teacher just a tad above the average. We must not be misled by the fancy wages paid to celebrity professors in private universities. It is important to recall to that the average income of a person in rich countries is itself high and that a person can lead a reasonably comfortable life does. In our country it does not.

Why did wages [prices] fall?

Let us digress for a moment to consider why the fall in these relative differences. The major reason is the rise in the supply of persons seeking employment as teachers. In 1961, relative to demand there was a shortage of persons who could be employed as school or university teachers. The massive spread of education during the last fifty years increased the supply of persons who could qualify to apply for employment as teachers. Any increase of supply on that scale without a parallel growth in demand must result in a drastic fall in prices. That would happen to the price of mangoes or plumbers. Consequently, teachers’ wages fell. The lack of alternative employment is as important as the rise in supply. Alternative employment to teaching in school would be work in the garment industry or emigrating to Arab lands for almost slavery. Alternatives to teaching in university would be teaching in schools or clerking.

There was a policy element as well. In 1961 there were about 2.2million students enrolled in school. In 2010, this number was almost double that in 1961. There were about 30 students to a teacher in 1960 and about 18 to a teacher in 2010. The number of teachers in school in 1960 was roughly 70,000 and in 2010, 250,000. In 1960, the ratio of expenditure on education to GDP was 4.4 percent; the comparable ratio in 2010 was about 2 percent. [See Chart 3.5 in Annual Report 2010 of the Central Bank.] This society could not have achieved those high percentages of enrolment at school and expanded university education without reducing unit costs substantially. The way to cut unit costs was to keep wages of teachers down, as more than 90 percent of current expenditure on education comprises teachers’ wages. Government as the virtual monopoly employer of teachers both at school and at university and because there was a scarcity of comparably remunerative other employment in the economy, was in a position to cut relative wages of teachers with no resistance from teachers. A necessary consequence was the fall in standards of education. The minister of Higher Education who is on high gear to raise the quality of university education had better bear in mind that he cannot buy good things cheap. The World Bank’s project to raise quality in university education [IRQUE] might ponder the wisdom of Lee Kuan Yu’s bon mot that peanuts attract monkeys. Government which talks about a knowledge hub in South Asia in this country is not serious about it. Activism on the part of university teachers in 2010 is something new and long overdue. School teachers curiously do not seem to have similar plans.

The second piece of evidence on the policy emphasis of government can be read from the following table.

In the first five years 1948 to 1953, the share of government expenditure that was spent on defence was quite small, about 0.5 percent, and government was free to spend on expanding opportunities education. By 1982, the share had risen to 7.5 percent. The rapid escalation came after 1994, 28 percent in 1996 and continued to be high. Even in 2010 one year after the destruction of LTTE, that share continues to be high. In 2011, current expenditure of government allocated for defence and public order and safety was estimated to be about 20 percent and on education 10 percent. Over a long period of time the share of government current expenditure spent on education had at best stagnated while expenditure on defence had expanded. In the meanwhile personnel in both defence services and education had grown massively. Those in education suffered a fall in relative wages.

For some 15 years, we have spent twice the proportion of government current expenditure on defence and public order compared with education.

Such departures from normal may take place in any society, especially due to exigencies of war, which was our experience during the last 20 years or so. We all recognise the enormous losses this society suffered during that war in material wealth and many thousands of lives. But few are aware of the benefits foregone [therefore losses] in neglected education, as we have shown here. To continue that war pattern of expenditure now is to try to run a society on the strength of the armed forces rather than govern by discussion and consent. We must soon get back to normal. The current balance of forces in government does not permit that. The large number of ministers [nine?] dealing with education does not contain anyone of political heavy weight and The Family unfortunately does not have anyone who would pull for education against defence and public order and safety. But it would be foolish to give into expediency once again.

A comment on the fall in real income of teachers in 2010.

In 1961 it was not uncommon for a senior teacher to come to work in a jacket. Now hardly anybody does, except where they are paid to do so by the past pupils’ association. Again a few teachers possessed small motor cars: Morris Minor, Fiat 1100 and Ford Anglia. Now nobody does. They simply cannot imagine buying and running a motor car. In 1961, a new Volkswagon car cost Rs.10,000. That was about 18 months’ wages of a young university teacher. Most young university teachers bought a car in the first year of employment. I obtained the price of the cheapest Toyota car in the market today. It is a Toyota Adanza and costs Rs.3.4 million, roughly seven years wages of a young university teacher! In addition in 1961, most teachers’ children went to public schools at little cost to parents. In 2010, public schools have so fallen in quality that many university teachers send their children to private schools, if they cannot get them into one of the exceptionally good public schools. These are two major items of expenditure which reduce the real income of school and university teachers even below the ratios indicated directly.

Change in behaviour patterns of teachers

Given that scenario how would you expect teachers to act? Try every possible way to augment their incomes. Conduct tuition classes and do all that that would raise the demand for those services. Seek any means of raising incomes without breaking the law or getting trapped by law enforcement agencies. What would university teachers do? Conduct classes for external degree students. Weekends are normally spent by university teachers in these classes, often 100s of miles away from their homes. Write school text books or guides to teaching. Teach in graduate classes in their university or elsewhere, as they are paid separately for teaching graduate courses. Undertake consultancy services for outsiders, preferably foreigners, who pay well for that work. They may also be able to present these to university administrators as research and get ahead in the queue for promotions. They would also persistently demand higher wages. Without being crassly materialistic, isn’t there in the data presented here adequate explanation for the changed behaviour patterns of teachers whether in school or university?

GCE A/L-2011 results need urgent review

January 24, 2012, 7:09 pm

By Prof. R. P. Gunawardane, The Island.

Indiana State University, USA

(Formerly Secretary, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Secretary, Higher Education and IT Development, Chairman, National Education Commission, Senior Professor & Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya)

I have watched with great pain of mind the events and developments that took place after the release of the results of GCE A/L Examination held in 2011. Many errors and omissions in the results have been reported and a presidential committee was appointed to look into this matter. The report of this committee has now been submitted to the President.

Of the national examinations conducted in Sri Lanka, GCE A/L examination is considered the most important and most highly competitive examination, which determines the future of our youth. Unlike in most other countries performance at this examination is the only criterion for university admission in Sri Lanka. It also serves as a criterion for admission to foreign universities and other professional/ training institutions. Over the years this examination has maintained very high international standards allowing our students to gain admission to prestigious universities all over the world. I am personally aware that our students who have done well at the GCE A/L exam are performing extremely well in the US universities.

Results of GCE A/L Exam -2011

Results of the GCE A/L examination this time have been openly challenged. It is absolutely essential to restore the public confidence in this examination as early as possible. The whole procedure of processing marks at the Examination Department should be fully investigated to understand the root of the problem. Urgent action also should be taken to prevent recurrence of such errors in the future. It must be stressed at the outset that any attempt to cover up this issue will lead to much greater repercussions and complications affecting a large number of youth in Sri Lanka. It is in this context I have been compelled to write this article.

I was personally responsible for initiating a dialogue, appointing a committee and implementing the Z-score method to rank students for university admission when I was serving as the Secretary to the Ministry. Z-score method is much superior to aggregates in raking students in different streams. There are difficult low scoring subjects and relatively easy high scoring subjects at the GCE A/L exam. Z-score brings marks of the subjects to the same level so that meaningful rankings can be worked out. It has been proved that the ranking on this basis is fairer and more reliable, and it is considered the best and simplest option available to minimise discrepancies due to different subjects, number of subjects, variable marking and different curricula (old syllabus/ new syllabus).

A comprehensive proposal in this regard was forwarded by Prof. R.O. Thattil of the University of Peradeniya, who served as the consultant to the Ministry and the UGC to implement this scheme during 2000/2001. It was successfully implemented in 2001 with two groups (one group offered 3 subjects and the other group 4 subjects) sat the GCE A/L exam. Since then this method had been in operation smoothly until 2011.

Two issues regarding the results of GCE A/L Examination held in 2011 have been highlighted.

1. Errors in district and island rankings issued by the Department of Examinations

2. Issue raised by experts regarding the formula used to calculate the Z score of a subject of the two groups (old syllabus and new syllabus) of students

Both these issues are of equal importance and it is necessary to rectify the situation without any further delay.

I have read in the newspapers that errors in rankings were due to wrong entries and processing errors done by the Department of Examinations. It is regrettable to note that independent checks/ audits have not been carried out. Is this the way national examinations are conducted in Sri Lanka? If this is true how can we accept the accuracy of the other entries and Z-scores? All the entries and the processing steps therefore should be rechecked to confirm accuracy of the results.

Secondly, the ministries involved have not used the original consultant to work out the formula to calculate the Z-score this time. Particularly, the officials of the UGC are aware of the history of the introduction of Z-score method and the consultants originally used for this purpose. In spite of this, Prof. Thattil, who designed the scheme in 2001, was not included in the committee this time. According to Professor Thattil (Island, January 13, 2012) the formula proposed by the new committee is incorrect and has complicated the A/L results issue still further.

This time the mean and variances of a subject from the old and new syllabi were pooled together to calculate the Z-score. This is a fundamental error made by the expert committee. In this type of situation two student groups should be considered as two separate populations, and then calculate the Z-score for each group separately. Then the average Z-scores of the three subjects can be used to rank students. This is the method we followed successfully in 2001 for the two groups (3- subjects and 4-subjects) we had in 2001.

Unfortunately, the presidential committee appointed to look into this matter has overlooked this important issue of using a wrong formula for the calculation of Z-scores. This has affected all the Z-scores, and the rankings worked out using these erroneous Z-scores are also incorrect. Thus, Z-scores and rankings of all the streams need to be corrected.

I read in newspapers that a teachers’ union is contemplating legal action against the Department of Examinations regarding this issue. If this happens, undoubtedly it will be a prolonged battle lasting for months if not years. Such action will lead to a serious situation where the results will be invalidated for some time. Then, the students who sat this examination will not be in a position to gain admission to any higher education institution in Sri Lanka or abroad for a considerable period of time. This is an extremely harmful and a serious situation affecting the future of our young generation. If this happens, it will be one of the most serious setbacks in the history of education in Sri Lanka. Therefore, all parties concerned should make a concerted effort to avoid this situation at any cost.

GCE A/L Exam should be held in April

There is another issue which needs the attention of education authorities urgently. During 2000/2001 we initiated action to hold the A/L exam in April instead of August due to strong reasons. We arranged A/L classes to commence in schools immediately after the O/L results were released, and the A/L exam was held for the first time in the month of April in 2002. Now it has been changed to August again for the convenience of officials disregarding all the benefits of having the exam in April. Let me explain the benefits of this change briefly.

When A/L exam is held in August, it is not possible to begin A/L classes for the fresh students who sat O/L exam in December previous year until September the following year. As a result, these students wait for nearly 9 months wasting their valuable time. Similarly after A/L exam in August the students have to wait till October next year for admission to universities. This can be avoided by commencing A/L classes in April this year and conducting the A/L exam in April 2014 and onwards. If this is implemented, those who qualify for admission to universities based on the results of this exam can be admitted to universities in the same year minimising the waiting period. This effectively saves about two which can be productively used for their higher education.

In the light of the above facts the following steps are strongly recommended:

1. Complete and comprehensive review of all the entries and processing steps of the results of GCE A/L Exam- 2011 should be carried out in the presence of observers/experts nominated by the University Grants Commission.

2. Recalculation of Z-scores should be carried out using the correct formula employed previously in 2001 in consultation with Prof. R.O. Thattil, who served as a consultant to the UGC/ Higher Education Ministry in 2001.

3. Release of the corrected results after completing (1) and (2) procedures indicated above.

4. Make necessary arrangements to conduct the GCE A/L examination in April every year with effect from 2014 and streamline the university admission process with a common academic year.

I earnestly request the Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education to give serious consideration to the above proposal and implement the same in the best interest of the nation.

(The writer may be contacted at

rpgunawardane@gmail.com)

SB caught telling a "terminological inexactitude"

January 24, 2012, 9:28 pm , The Island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

A preeminent expert in the education field denied the Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake’s recent claim that Prof. R. O. Thattil of the Peradeniya University was not involved in introducing the Z – score system.

Former Secretary to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Prof. R. P. Gunawardane confirmed Prof. Thattil’s involvement in formulating the Z – score system in 2000/2001.

Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake told Parliament last week that the Z-score formula was only a mathematical formula and not an invention by Prof R. O. Thattil.

In reply to a statement by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe that the creator of the Z- score formula

Prof Thattil, too, was against the way the formula had been distorted by the Department of Examinations causing a mess-up in the GCE (A-Level) results, Minister Dissanayake said that the fact that the examination would be conducted under two syllabuses had been known to all stakeholders for the past three years or so.

Dissanayake said: "Prof. Thattil faults us for not including him on the expert panel to look into the problem. He was not invited to the committee because he had submitted a document in a court case a few years back that the Z score was incorrect and the court had rejected it. That was why we did not invite him this time around."

However, Prof. Gunawardane said that he had personally involved in the introduction of the Z – score formula in 2000/ 2001 and Prof. Thattil was the master brain behind it.

"I was personally responsible for initiating a dialogue, appointing a committee and implementing the Z-score method to rank students for university admission when I was serving as the Secretary to the Ministry," he said.

Prof. Gunawardane also said that a comprehensive proposal in this regard was forwarded by Prof. R. O. Thattil of the University of Peradeniya, who served as the consultant to the ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) to implement the Z – Score scheme during 2000/ 2001.

The Z-score method was much superior to taking aggregates in ranking students in different streams. There were difficult low scoring subjects and relatively easy high scoring subjects at the GCE A/L examination. The Z-score brought marks of the subjects to the same level so that meaningful rankings could be worked out. It had been proved that the ranking on that basis was fairer and more reliable, and it was considered the best and simplest option available to minimize discrepancies due to different subjects, number of subjects, variable marking and different curricula (old syllabus/ new syllabus), he said.

Prof. Gunawardena is also a former Chairman, National Education Commission, Senior Professor & Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya.

Former Education Secy says wrong formula used for calculating Z-score

January 24, 2012, 9:22 pm , The Island.

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Former Secretary to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Prof. R. P. Gunawardane says the presidential committee appointed to look into issues related to the messing up of the district ranking of the GCE (A/L) results has overlooked the wrong formula used for calculating Z-scores pertaining to results from two different syllabuses.

In an article we publish on the editorial page today, Prof. Gunawardane says the erroneous formula has affected all Z-scores and the rankings. Thus, Z-scores and rankings of all the streams needed to be corrected, he says.

Recalculation of Z-scores should be carried out using the correct formula employed previously in 2001 in consultation with Prof. R.O. Thattil, who served as a consultant to the UGC/ Higher Education Ministry at the time, Prof. Gunawardane says.

Prof. Gunawardane suggests that the GCE (A/L) examination be held in April in every year from 2014 instead of August.

Kalam recommends tri-lingual initiative to Lanka

January 23, 2012, 6:17 pm, The Island.


Former Indian President Dr A.P. J. Kalam Saturday recommended to Sri Lanka the tri-lingual initiative as it could enable Lankan youth towards cultural and socio-economic unity.

Speaking at the launch of the National Action Plan and declaring 2012 as the year fpr a Trilingual Sri Lanka, Dr Kalam said that it would be a continuation of the efforts in quality education for all which was pioneered by the first education minister and the father of Sri Lanka’s free education system, C.W.W. Kannangara whose efforts were reflected in very high literacy rate in the country. "So young children of Sri Lanka, may I greet you today on this historic occasion", he said.

Full text of speech:

When I was flying from New Delhi to Colombo yesterday night (21 Jan 2012), I was thinking about what message that I can share it with you. Then came, the poem, which I would like to share it with you.

Dream of Sri Lankan Youth

I had a dream, I have a dream.

The dream for peace,

The dream for prosperity.

It was a full moon night, Island fully immersed,

A Divine soul raises,

From the musical waves of sea surrounding Sri Lanka.

Journey to North, south,

East and west and touches 20 million hearts,

And removes the pain with Compassion.

And the divine soul echoes,

Oh, Sri Lanka, Oh youth of Sri Lanka,

If God is for us, who can be against.

You Sri Lankan, radiate everywhere

compassion and love to every heart in Sri Lanka,

That beautiful compassionate touch will bring prosperity and peace.

I am delighted to participate in the historic event of the launch of National Action Plan and declaring 2012 as the "Year for a Trilingual Sri Lanka". My greetings to all of you. Friends, at this juncture, I would like to recall an experience during the British India when I was a school student. At that time, upto the age of 15, I was taught all the subjects including mathematics, science, geography, history in my mother tongue. My experience is that when we learn subjects in our own mother tongue, we learn faster and could grasp the inherent meaning of the subject and we start thinking naturally. This is what the tri-lingual initiative can bring to the youth of Sri Lanka and enable them towards cultural and socio-economic unity. It would be a continuation of the efforts in quality education for all which was pioneered by the first education minister and the father of Sri Lanka’s free education system, C.W.W. Kannangara whose efforts are reflected in very high literacy rate in Sri Lanka. So, young children of Sri Lanka, may I greet you today on this historic occasion. Today I would like talk on the topic Evolution of a Noble Nations which I think is crucial to development of humanity.

Origins of Life

Ancient human history has been revealed beautifully by Paleoanthropology. Life originated 600 million years ago and continental drift occurred 200 million years ago creating five continents. Mammals evolved 140 million years ago, Hominids that is the human type, evolved 26 million years ago but modern man only arrived on the scene some 200,000 years ago. He migrated and inhabited the world only in the last 50,000 years. The spoken language is some 10,000 years old while writing evolved only a few thousand years ago. In this situation we have to see how to evolve a language system in a diversified society for the common welfare of all citizens. I am sure that the Trilingual Sri Lanka initiative will enable across – the - language – learning, enrich the education and further civilizational heritage of the nation.

The evolution of human being has been greatly accelerated by the application of science and technology in several fields. With expansion of ideas, geo-political situation changed and many new independent nations were born in the Second World War era. Most of the nations had great civilizational heritage. They have had a glorious past but suffered under colonial rule for many centuries. After the colonization has gone the independent nations formed governments of their own often propelled by democratic aspirations. The process continues and 21st century is going to see a fully evolved world. We are all destined to realize, happiness, dignity of life, freedom and creativity, but it can be realized only through nations becoming noble.

Nobility of a Nation

How do we define nobility of nation?

It is not merely in terms of economic indicators, human development indicators, or any other form of numerical indicators. It is more of a quality than a quantitative measure. I was reflecting on the feature of a noble nation, the essence of a noble society. Naturally, a noble nation have to be populated by people who are noble – not just at individual level, but in a collective sense as well. And nobility has to begin from the top – from the leader and percolate to various levels of society to the artisans and peasants.

Do we have a good example? Is there an ideal description of such a nobility?

Mahatma Gandhi – A Noble Leader

A scene comes to my mind from the life of Mahatma Gandhi ji. You may be aware of the events towards the final years of struggle for Indian Independence. A great nation with a civilizational history and heritage of many millennia had been partitioned politically. You know also the terrible blood letting, disturbance, migration issues, almost akin to a civil war which tore the nation. Then came the independence.

When our first Prime Minister addressed the nation on 15th August 1947 early morning, he chose hope of a future in a multi cultural democratic context and articulation on the issues of a developing country. The uncharted path ahead had vast opportunities but also grave challenges. Everybody in the political system, and many other citizens had assembled there. In those days, there was no real time TV broadcast. Maximum outreach was through the radio. I heard the historic speech of Freedom at Midnight, on the All India Radio at Rameswaram where many of us had crowded around a community radio. Next day, newspaper carried various photographs. One person uniquely was missing from the photos and the addresses. That was Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Nation. He was away in strife torn Bengal amongst trodden aggrieved people and was giving love and care those brutalized by human frenzy of hatred and intolerance. He was trying to find the solution for curing of the menace which was poisoning the society and people.

Mahatma Gandhi created benchmark of noble nation, a noble society and a noble leader by this simple example of practical action. That scene is playing again - again in my mind. All the leaders of nations; be it in government, political opposition, business, media, education, and people from civil society should scene of a serving leader capture this in their minds and actions, again and again.

Dear Friends, for evolving Noble nation, let us answer five questions ourselves:

1. Am I a noble individual?

2. Is my society noble?

3. Is my nation noble?

4. If not what should I do?

5. How I do change the current situation and go towards nobility?

If we all ask these questions, sincerely and answer them truthfully, we will find solutions leading to concrete action.

Many noble nations will then emerge.

Humanity will prosper. Civilization will advance.

Everyday Issues of a Noble Nation

Having addressed this subtle principle and ideal, let us focus some practical aspects of life which provide ground for nobility to arise in society and people. These are the removal of poverty, hunger and pain from diseases. This will need a development agenda based on the core competence of the nation and its entire different people.

When different societies come together to build a cohesive social system and a nation, it is necessary to ensure that benefits of development encompass all sections of the society which comprise the nation. World over, poverty, illiteracy, un-employment and deprivation are precipitating into the forces of strife, anger and violence. These forces link themselves to some earlier real or perceived historical enmities, tyrannies injustice, inequities, ethnic issues and religious fundamentalism flowing into an outburst of extremism worldwide. Both India and Sri Lanka have witnessed and are witnessing such various acts. We have to address ourselves to the root causes of such phenomena for finding lasting solutions for promoting peace.

We also need to minimize damages from natural disaster and risks from manmade industry and activities. These give basic human security to enable people not to hate others and not be jealous of others. For this transformation to take place, we have to replace the urge of "What Can I Take" with the spirit of "What Can I Give?"

PURA and Sri Lankan PURA Plan

Friends, Buddha had said the "Nibbana (nirvana) cannot be had on empty stomach". How can we translate this message into action.

Hence, another need of a noble nation in the creation of an environment of inclusive development where every citizen gets an opportunity to build capacity and generate income based on their competencies. For this to be realized, the need of the hour is the evolution of sustainable systems which act as "enablers" and bring inclusive growth and integrated development to the nation.

Let me present one such sustainable development system is the mission of Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA) through creation of three connectivities namely physical, electronic, knowledge leading to economic connectivity for 15,000 villages of Sri Lanka.

PURA means :

1. The villages must be connected within themselves and with main towns and metros by good roads, waterways and wherever needed by the railway lines. They must have other infrastructure like schools, colleges, hospitals and amenities for the local population and the visitors. This is physical connectivity.

2. In the emerging knowledge era, the native knowledge has to be preserved and enhanced with latest tools of technology, training and research. The villages have to have access to good education from best teachers wherever they are, must have the benefit of good medical treatment, and must have latest information on their pursuits like agriculture, fishery, horticulture and food processing. That means they have to have electronic connectivity.

3. Once the Physical and Electronic connectivity are enabled, the knowledge connectivity is enabled. That can facilitate the ability increase the productivity, the utilization of spare time, awareness of health welfare, ensuring a market for products, increasing quality conscience, interacting with partners, getting the best equipment, increasing transparency and so in general knowledge connectivity.

4. Once the three connectivities viz Physical, Electronic and knowledge connectivity are ensured, they facilitate earning capacity leading to economic connectivity. When we Provide Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA), we can lead to upliftment of rural areas, we can attract investors, we can introduce effectively useful systems like Rural BPOs, Micro Finance and small scale industries.

There are operational PURAs already in India initiated by many educational, healthcare institutions, industry and other institutions. Government of India is moving ahead with the implementation of PURA on the national scale across several districts of India.

PURA structure for Sri Lanka

With 16 million rural citizens, represent about 79% of the population, Sri Lanka has a potential of deploying about 160 PURA complexes based on the core competencies of the cluster of villages. These may focus on the following aspects:

a) Coastal PURA: Focusing on marine industry including on sea fishing, processing, packaging and sales. Sri Lanka’s vast coastlands can be organized into about 50 Coastal PURA Complexes, primarily focusing on fishing and also service industry of sea tourism. Another industry which can be promoted in these PURAs can be based on gems and precious stones.

b) Plain PURA: Based on the inlands of Sri Lanka, we can realize about 60 Plain PURA complexes, focusing on agro products and processing like rice and coconut, forest products, natural and medicinal tourism and IT/ITES Industry to generate employment for the rural youth.

c) Hill PURA: With large areas of the central Sri Lanka being located on highlands, there is also a potential for creating about 50 Hill PURA complexes. Suitable rainfall and weather conditions make them ideally suited for creating industry based on tea. To consolidate the industry in these regions, the Hill PURAs of Sri Lanka can exclusively promote Tea Cooperatives of Farmers who can manage end-to-end production of tea to better realize the value of their farm products. The Sri Lankan tea has high value on the export market, and thereby is potential for high income growth to the local community.

Of course, there are many more detailed aspects which would go within each of the specific PURAs. The execution of such a PURA mission can be done in an entrepreneurial way, with Public-Private-Community Partnership model with active involvement from all the diverse societies of the nation. I, along with my team of experts, would be happy to participate in the planning of pilot PURA complexes in Sri Lanka to empower the 16 million rural citizens of the nation.

Unity in diversity

Friends, another important area is the removal of greed and undue competition by spreading love for all, even to those whom you think are different from you, or those who don’t agree with your view or even those with whom you share an unfavourable disposition. Human love and mutual trusts can overcome all such barriers of the past. We have an example of how European nations, who were constantly warring against each other for centuries could come together in a European Union and help each in times of economic crisis and create a win-win situation for a society which is otherwise diverse on counts of religion, language and ethnic backgrounds.

Birth of Ahimsa Dharma

I recall the connectivity with the Kalinga war scene around 2300 years back where Emperor Ashoka, while celebrating the victory in the Kalinga war, at the cost of the death of more than one hundred thousand people and equal number injured. In his victory, the emperor saw the blood bath in the moon lit night. Here we see the birth of Ahimsa Dharma, out of this tragic scene created by the Emperor himself and grow into a laudable philosophy that spread across the world. This philosophy of Ahmisa Dharma, is the founding principle of Mahatma Gandhi who won India’s freedom and became example of many nations seeking for independence. The greatest ideal expressed by Buddha, propagated by Ashoka and followed by Mahatma Gandhi; what is that?

Tolerance is the foundation of sustainable development and peaceful society

It will be appropriate to have an introspection by all of us about the social awakening needed for the national development. Every civilized society exists not only for day-to-day sustenance, but lives with a clear perception for the future and the generations to come. Such a situation would pre-suppose that each individual in such a society would cherish and translate into practice noble ideals of constructive tolerance, positive fellow-feeling and a total commitment to live and let live. None can have express this better, the Albert Einstein who said: "Laws alone can’t secure freedom of expression; in order that every man presents his views without penalty, there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire population".

We have to evolve a society that will respect differences and celebrate differences. What are the various issues on tolerance?

1. Tolerance for people’s opinion

2. Tolerance for people’s culture

3. Tolerance for people’s belief system, and

4. and Tolerance for people’s styles

In fact, such an attitude, be it that of an individual or a collection of them i.e. society, is the hallmark of a civilized nation. That is what characterizes and differentiates life from sheer existence. Honesty and integrity - both in thought and action, independence and inter-dependence – in their wholesome and positive manifestations, would distinguish a civilized nation in its true sense. It is for each citizen, regardless of his or her background, to strive to inculcate these eternal values in him or her, and that alone would be the surest path and unfailing guarantee for a civilized society and its future.

The Great Reconciliation in human history

Indomitable Spirit and Forgiveness: I met a great personality who was responsible for the freedom of South Africa. He is none other than Dr. Nelson Mandela. Particularly the young people can learn two big lessons from this personality. These are indomitable spirit and virtue of forgiveness.

During my visit to South Africa in 2004, I went to the Robben Island. This is the place where the freedom of individuals was chained. We were received at the Island by Mr. Ahmed Kathrada, a South African, who was a co-prisoner with Dr. Nelson Mandela on the island. What surprised me was, in a tiny room where sleeping and all human needs have to be fulfilled. It has to be remembered that Dr. Nelson Mandela, who was 6 feet tall was imprisoned in that room for 26 years – fighting against the apartheid. The major part of his life was spent in this silent Island. He used to be taken for quarrying in the nearby mountain for a few hours in the hot sun. This is the time his sight got damaged. In spite of his body being tortured, he revealed to the world his indomitable spirit. That was the time he evolved a manuscript of freedom in tiny letters every day, when the jail wardens went to sleep. This small tiny lettered manuscript finally became the famous book of Mandela "A long walk to freedom".

It was a great event for me to meet him in his house in Johannesburg. Dear friends, I would like to share with you, when I entered Dr. Nelson Mandela’s house, I saw his three dimensional form with cheerfulness: the mighty man who got the freedom for South Africa from the tyranny of apartheid. And also a person when he became the President of South Africa he gave the people freedom to move, freedom to live in South Africa to those people who perpetuated the apartheid and tormented him in the jail for 26 years. Dr. Nelson Mandela accepted them as equal citizens. While I shook hands with Dr Mandela, I felt that I am touching the hand of a mighty soul filled with tolerance and respect and love for all humankind. When he started walking, he discarded his walking stick and put his hand on my shoulder as his support. Dear citizens of Srilanka, a big lesson that we learnt from this personality Dr. Nelson Mandela, which is explained in one of the Thirukkurals written 2200 years before.

which means, for those who do ill to you, the best punishment is to return good to them.

Conclusion

21st century humankind will cherish the hallmark system of empowered democracy with civilizational heritage based on tolerance mutual love and trust. We will need a system where diversities are basis for celebration and not conflict and where eternal goodness and wholesomeness in human conduct is brought about by the "Righteousness".

As our sages says:

Righteousness

Where there is righteousness in the heart

There is beauty in the character.

When there is beauty in the character,

There is harmony in the home.

When there is harmony in the home.

There is an order in the nation.

When there is order in the nation,

There is peace in the world.

For meeting the challenges of these missions, we can draw the inspiration from the saying of Maharishi Patanjali, about 2,500 years ago "When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents come alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamt yourself to be."

My best wishes to all the participants of this event for success in their mission of evolving a noble nation.

 

Pera undergrads protest over court summons

January 23, 2012, 9:56 pm , The Island.

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Undergraduates of the Peradeniya University protested at Galaha junction yesterday against 25 students being asked to appear before courts over ragging.

President of the Students Council Mahesh Lanka told The Island that those students had been summoned to appear before court on Thursday Jan. 26 claiming they were involved in ragging a student.

He said that all were arts faculty students and they included four females.

"We held a demonstration opposite the Senate building before moving to the Galaha junction," Lanka said adding that parents of those students too participated in the protest.

According to him, there were several academic and welfare problems in the university and higher education sector. When students protest over those grievances, the university administration hunted the student leaders.

Few weeks ago, the university administration suspended all student unions including the Students Council, Lanka said adding that however they had to withdraw the suspension following their protests.

He said that their members did not get involved in ragging, but university administration continuously pointed the finger at them.

"Now the university administration has started to hunt student leaders by deploying police and filing court cases against us," Lanka said warning if the situation continued they would launch a massive protest with undergraduates from other universities.