“Universities: a vitally important but untapped potential in Sri Lanka”
View(s):This refers to Mr. Chandrasena Maliyadde’s timely article in last week Business Times on the above subject.
According to the writer, as most readers agree, all stakeholders of the university system are not happy. As Mr. Maliyadde points out, the cream of our education output is absorbed by universities as ‘input’, but due to problematic ‘throughput’ in the university system, the country finally gets less or no effective ‘output’. He mentions many a responsible party for this unfortunate situation.
Here I try to focus only on one party, which is less talked about – the university council especially the members appointed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). These members are undoubtedly well educated/experienced/matured/able individuals, who can play a vital role in the university system in general and in their own universities in particular. They very well understand the issues of the subject article and are also strategic champions to do effective changes/developments. I know at a recent workshop they were reminded of their expected role and earlier once I suggested to the then UGC chairman the necessity to commence UGC-appointed university council members’ regular meetings for feedback and two-way communication, the idea was welcome.
Do all of them they play their role is the question! Do they all regularly come for council meetings? Do they all effectively contribute? Do they all bring their expertise/experience/maturity/strategy/thinking to the university/system? Who monitors this? If positive answers are there for these questions, Mr. Maliyadde’s eye opening article will have a ready support for our country to become the Wonder of Asia soon!
K.U. Pushpakumara
Pitakotte