Letters to the Editor
18th June 2000
Contents
- It's really free
- He did it in good faith
- Don't insult him
- Some grass for my feet, CMC
- School admissions: set up commission
- BASL: if you can't stand the heat, get out
It's really free
The Free education? Really? (The Sunday Times, May 28) shows that the objectives of Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara have not been understood.
It was not only free English education that became available, national education was reformed for the better.
Free education was introduced at a time when education in the country was not available to all, but only to the privileged class. Only the children of affluent parents who could pay fees and others who had influence in other ways could get a gainful education.
The others had to be satisfied with vernacular education, given free of charge.
It was to eradicate this social injustice that free education was implemented amidst opposition.
The free education scheme embraced all levels of education, primary, secondary and tertiary including higher education at university and other institutions.
University education that could be bought by those who had money, became available to every intelligent child irrespective of the social and economic standing of the parents.
Generations of students who otherwise would have lost the opportunity for higher education are today occupying prestigious positions in all professions and services in the country.
If not for free education, none of them would have been in such positions.
Therefore, the country should be ever grateful to this statesman with a vision, Dr. Kannangara.
The social revolution initiated by free education will continue in Sri Lanka and Dr. Kannangara will be remembered as the Father of Free Education forever.
Professor Ranjit Ruberu
Mt. Lavinia
He did it in good faith
I agree with some of the views expressed by the writer in Free education? Really? He rightly says that Dr. Kannangara should have introduced the English medium to vernacular schools. If this was done at that time our children would have been better educated today.
There may be lapses in the free education scheme but Dr. Kannangara did this in good faith to enable the not-so-wealthy children to go for higher studies. In that alone he has achieved his goal.
Thanks to that, today we find among us doctors, lawyers and engineers from very remote areas and villages.
Samsadeen Cafoor
Colombo 3
Don't insult him
M.I.H.M. Sally in The Sunday Times of May 28, dismisses the view that the Kannangara Reforms of the 1940s ushered in the era of free education in Ceylon.
He rightly states that education was free even before that in vernacular schools.
But Mr. Sally has missed the important aspect of the reforms which was to bring English education to the majority of rural students. That I believe, was the main idea behind the reforms.
Earlier, English education was available only to the children of the urban middle class who could afford it.
The reforms operated through a network of junior and central schools. The students having studied upto the 5th Standard in their mother tongue at a vernacular school, could admit themselves to a junior school where prominence was given to the teaching of English both as a subject and medium for a few other subjects. On passing the 8th Standard at the junior school one could gain admission to the central school upto the SSC and beyond. Thus English education became free to all from the 5th Standard onward.
The Kannangara Reforms ensured English education to a larger section of the student population especially in rural areas, who would otherwise have had no such opportunity.
The reforms may have created minor problems like those referred to by Mr. Sally but they are only to be expected when major reforms are introduced. However, they pale into insignificance when compared to the fact that the reforms enabled an entire generation of students to receive a sound English education at no cost.
One cannot also justifiably argue that the Kannangara Reforms brought down the standard of English among the students.
What contributed to the downfall of English was the Sinhala Only policy that came into effect in 1956.
It is uncharitable to belittle the contribution made by the late Dr. C.W.W. Kannangara. His reforms were far reaching in the context of the times they were implemented. Dr. Kannangara occupies a prominent place in the history of education of our country. It will remain so.
P.G.A. Henry
Matara
Some grass for my feet, CMC
The Colombo Municipal Council should attend to exposed manholes, clogged rainwater drains and broken pavements urgently.
Garbage has been dumped in these and the smallest shower floods the main road. A few years back, we witnessed a scene where a section of R.A. de Mel Mawatha was waterlogged after heavy rain and many houses went under water.
The authorities should also ensure that the pavements are maintained and not obstructed, which is now being done with impunity.
Most of the pavements with single or two square cement blocks are damaged and not firm but unstable, due to digging operations at frequent intervals by service departments.
Recently an elderly lady stumbled on a loose block, fell and broke her denture on R.A. de Mel Mawatha.
It would be better to plant grass, the 'pidali' type, and also trees on the pavement. This will help pedestrians, allow rainwater to sink in and add colour and beauty.
This could be tried out in selected areas. If the Colombo Municipality is interested, Ruk Rakaganno will definitely assist.
S. Thambyrajah
Colombo 3
School admissions: set up commission
The problem of Grade 1 admissions has become acute in towns like Colombo, Kandy, Galle and Jaffna.
True enough, the standard of education and facilities in some of these schools are good. Hence, the fierce competition with some parents resorting to unfair means.
In the past, children had to write a test and face an interview for admission. This was found inappropriate and scrapped.
At present, government schools follow the area rule as one of the guidelines for admission.
The time has come to review the process especially for Grade 1.
(1) The area rule could be followed with proper supervision;
(2) Every school, especially the popular ones, both government and private must have a board of governors consisting of the principal, an old student, three other eminent educationists and a representative of the regional Department of Education. The board can formulate regulations with regard to admissions.
(3) Set up more primary schools upto Grade 5 and at the end of Grade 5, a competitive test may be held and capable students admitted to popular schools.
Many educationists, parents and teachers feel that it is a good idea to set up a permanent commission of education. This commission could supervise the policy of the Ministry of Education.
C.M.A. Jeffrie
Colombo 6
BASL: if you can't stand the heat, get out
Starting with Mr. Romesh De Silva who was succeeded by Mr. Upali Gooneratne as President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the effect and the role the Bar Association once played in the day to day life of the peoplehave benn nullified. Once upon a time, on matters of public importance, people looked forward to the views of the Bar Association as an independent opinion.
During 1990-1991 an amendment to the BASL Constitution enabled it to intervene in matters of public importance. As a result, the BASL even went to the extent of taking up causes in the public interest and appeared for a small and medium scale industrialist before the Fair Trading Commission to prevent the merger of John Keells and Elephant House on the basis of it bringing about a monopoly. The BASL also did not fail to voice its views on amendments to existing laws and draft legislation from time to time.
The draft Constitution of the republic of Sri Lanka has been the subject of discussion at different levels for the last three years. During the time Mr. De Silva was President, he saw to it that a committee was appointed by the Executive Committee of the BASL, with the exclusion of those who would have made a contribution to it, including R.K.W. Goonesekera.
Despite the amendment to the BASL constitution, Mr. De Silva enjoined the committee from discussing matters that did not affect the members of the legal profession. Probably, with his limited experience in the BASL he may not have been aware of the amendment.
The committee never met and no conclusions were finalised. The draft Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka is now reaching its final stages and is to be presented Parliament this month.
This document which will soon be the supreme legislation in the country will be passed with nothing being said or done by the legal profession represented by the BASL, at a time when the people are going through crucial and decisive times.
There have been many other issues as well in the recent past, in which the BASL did not think it fit to make its presence felt.
Not only the legal profession at large but the people too will remember the vigour with which the former office bearers of the BASL fought governments in power at the relevant time.
During its illustrious history BASL had filed more than 3000 Fundamental Rights applications in the Supreme Court on behalf of detainees; stood by the Judges when they were stoned during the time of President J.R. Jayewardene; fought the government in the Wijayadasa Liyanaarachchi issue; stood by the then Judges of the Supreme Court when undue appointments were made; demanded an apology from the then Deputy Minister of Defence Ranjan Wijeratne through President Premadasa. However, at present when a prominent lawyer's office was burnt in Kegalle, what the BASL did was to give a call to the IGP which yielded no results.
It is alleged that when a powerful Minister made public utterances recently, threatening to close down courts and send certain Supreme Court Judges home, the BASL did not even think it fit to issue a formal statement condemning it. It was only the judges of the Supreme Court in their own wisdom who took it up with the Chief Justice and the matter is now before courts.
It is the duty of the office bearers of the BASL headed by the President, to give it the initiative required in matters of national importance. Amidst all this the BASL seems to be going through a memorable and colourful time celebrating 25 years.
The Silver Jubilee was on June 10 when its forefathers, past presidents and secretaries some of whom are no more must be turning in their graves over its attitude today and for being at docile creature. Unfortunately, the bad trend was set in motion prior to Mr. Gooneratne taking office.
On the BASL letterhead the words Liberty- Justice-Equality are printed in faded letters on a gray background. In that context for whose liberty and equality does the BASL stand for and justice for whom when the BASL is quite oblivious to what is happening around it?
It is the duty of every office bearer past or present, to say what he/she feels is right and stand by it. Therefore it is unconscionable for anyone to take part in any of the functions and celebrations held in the name of the BASL silver jubilee. Those who can't stand the heat should stay out of the kitchen.
Upul Jayasuriya
Former Secretary,
BASL
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