Learner’s choice

In March 2016, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that plans were afoot to change the country’s education system to suit the changing trends and new high-technology age. In September 2016, University Grants Commission Vice Chairman Professor P.S.M. Gunaratne stated that the Sri Lankan education system must change to keep pace with the modern world. A few days ago, Foreign Employment Minister, Thalatha Athukorale said that a national policy on education should be introduced as soon as possible.

Any sensible citizen will totally agree with all these sentiments. What the statements highlight is the need to produce competent people, with the right type of skills, demanded by today’s industry and market.

It will not be an exaggeration to say that our education system is in complete disarray. The system is steeply politicalized. There is widespread corruption within the sector. Studies show a decline in learning levels among schoolchildren and a sharp drop in the quality of the teachers. Student drop-out rates are still high.

Curriculum is out of date. We still give prominence to rote learning, and as a result, problem solving skills and creative thinking are not promoted through our education system. We do not give due recognition to mathematics and English, the knowledge of which is essential for the development of any career. Extra tuition classes are needed to pass examinations.

Our education system is not research oriented. Due to the pressure of competition, the motto is “Each for himself” and therefore, teamwork is not emphasized. Adequate attention is not given to promote fine arts and performing arts in school curricula. Even when engaging in sports the emphasis is not on good sportsmanship, but on winning somehow.

Left-overs

It may also be true that undergraduate education in state universities is free. Yet, fewer than 16% of those who qualify get admission to state universities since the entrance examinations are extremely competitive. Only the top students from each district get admissions.

What happens to the balance “left-overs?” It is estimated that 8-10 per cent go abroad to continue with their studies. They have parents who can afford the cost. Others have few options: (1) Open University of Sri Lanka, (2) State-owned autonomous degree awarding institutes, (3) External studentship of traditional universities, (4) Private institutions conducting classes and examinations on behalf of foreign universities, (5) Professional bodies who conduct examinations on behalf of both foreign accredited institutes (CIMA, ACCA etc.) or local institutes (ICASL, SLIM), (6) Vocational technical institutes that specialize in mechanical, electronic and electrical subjects.

All these openings cost money. The Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for education as a fundamental right. One might ask whether this fundamental right is truly enjoyed only by the few who gained admission to the State Universities.

Wasted talent

If education is to be the main key to a higher status of life, then the availability of education to all qualified students becomes crucial. When the channels of access to higher education become clogged at any level, then we will indeed have a rigid society, and a potentially inflammatory situation. If we are to make available, the talent of our most capable young people for the challenging years ahead - it seems imperative that we clear and broaden the channels of access to higher education for those qualified.

As things stand today - despite the clamour for more educated professionals - a vast amount of our brainpower is going waste. All estimates appear to agree that the number of bright secondary school seniors who do not go to any campus or further education because of monetary incapability runs into hundreds of thousands.

The social danger here is that parental income rather than personal ability will determine who gets an advanced education and who does not.

Major role

The Government has a major role to play in such a situation. If it cannot subsidize the cost of higher education to all qualified students, at least, a system of student loans need to be introduced. For example, student loans play a very large role in U.S. higher education. Nearly 20 million Americans attend campuses each year and close to 60% borrow annually to help cover costs.

In the USA, student loans come in several varieties, but are basically split into federal loans and private student loans. The federal loans, are subdivided into subsidized (the Government pays the interest) and unsubsidized. Federal student loans are subsidized at the undergraduate level only. A subsidized loan is by far the best kind of loan, but an unsubsidized federal student loan is far better than a private student bank loan. Student loans may be used for any campus-related expenses, including tuition, room and board, books, computers and transportation expenses.

Both subsidized and unsubsidized loans are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education either directly or through guaranty agencies. Nearly all students are eligible to receive federal loans. Both types offer a grace period of six months, which means that no payments are due until six months after graduation.

Techno change

In the last three decades, throughout the world, the educational scenario has undergone major changes. These include rights-based approach to elementary education, student entitlement, shift in emphasis from literacy and basic education to secondary, higher, technical and professional education and reshaping the higher education scenario.

These new concepts filtered down to our country as well and our professionals began to highlight them. The suggested reforms included a new impetus to skill development through vocational education in the context of the emergence of new technologies in a globalized environment, need for innovative ways of student financing, addressing challenges of globalization and liberalization and recognition of multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary nature of learning and knowledge. These have come into limelight, often discussed but practically nothing has been done so far.

Indian lesson

It is in this context, we can learn a lesson from our neighbour – India. The concern for the improvement of education had been at the top of India’s development agenda since its independence. Several commissions were appointed by the Government of India from time to time to formulate policies required to enhance access to and participation in education and improve quality of education.

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment in1976 brought about a fundamental change by transferring education from the State List to the Concurrent List. This was done to effect recognition of the importance of the political structure of India and giving equal primacy to both the central and state governments as partners in furthering the educational goals in a cohesive manner.

Since then, significant changes have taken place in the Indian education sector. The Government recently understood that the educational activities and learning process were no longer confined to the classroom and, therefore, the domain of education was no longer limited to formal schooling or higher education.

The fast pace of generation and application of new knowledge, especially in the fields of science and technology, and its impact on the daily life of people had brought into focus the importance of introducing learners to the rapidly changing world of knowledge. The need for the development of human skills, including life skills, that meet the demands of the emerging knowledge economy and society highlighted the need to promote the acquisition by learners of knowledge and skills on a life-long basis.

The Government of India realized that these developments implied that the education policies and the content and process of education must evolve with the changing times and needs. The goals, structure, content and processes of education needed renewal keeping in view the experiences gained in the past and the concerns that have emerged in the light of changing national goals and societal needs.

Thus, the National Education Policy, 2016 came into being designed to guide the renewal process in education in India.

The Indian National Education Policy, 2016 envisions a credible education system capable of ensuring inclusive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all and producing students/graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that are required to lead a productive life. The policy covers a wide array of topics including access and participation, quality issues, skills and employability, curriculum and assessment, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), teacher development and management, equity issues, system efficiency, governance and management, research and development and budgetary constraints.

Perhaps education authorities in Sri Lanka can take their cue for the design of a new education policy from the Indian experience.

The direction of any national education policy of Sri Lanka needs to be anchored in a lifelong perspective. The policy should envisage broadening the scope of education to facilitate various pathways to learning depending on learners’ choice, potential and affordability and in relation with skills required for the execution of Government’s long-term plan.