Wealth of a country depends on the productivity of labour, says educationist
View(s):The wealth of a country depends on the productivity of labour, stated Prof. Indra De Zoysa, Warden of S. Thomas’ College at a media conference of ‘Adyapana’ Education Exhibition launch held at the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management this week.
While saying that the wealth of a country depends on its productivity, he said the country’s future and development depends on how it invests on education. All what Sri Lanka’s needs is for someone to come and provide capital in order to grow and become rich. Today economies talk about endogenous growth theory. That is, it’s not simply capital, but development happens from within people. Capital can simply be wasted if there is no ingenuity behind the investment of it.
“It doesn’t matter how much money comes in; we will not make it productive unless our people are productive enough,” stressed Mr. Zoysa.
He also said that education is a big word which means not just passing exams, but exposing ‘ourselves’ to everything out there that makes one a productive individual.
The 8th edition of ‘Adyapana’ Higher Education Exhibition to be held on 4-6 October at the BMICH focuses on the education industry of Sri Lanka bringing local and international universities and institutions all around the world pursuing higher education under one roof.
The S. Thomas’ College Old Boys Association is involved in organizing the exhibition for the first time and has taken the initiative to conduct the career guidance programme. The first day of the exhibition will be for school students.
Commenting on why ‘Adyapana’ is important, Arjun Dharmadasa, Managing Director of Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services, said “Due to a limited number of placements in the state funded universities, only 17 per cent of students qualify to enter. Each year more than 100,000 qualified students are forced to abandon their ambition to enter a state university in Sri Lanka.” He said that compared to other countries, the number of students enrolled to tertiary education has become extremely low in Sri Lanka. The exhibition provides students who have just completed their Advanced Level Examinations and other students and employees an opportunity to further their dreams and objectives in their chosen field.
(RM)