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in the lurch? This is said to be the only institution in Sri Lanka offering a diploma of this nature for bhikkus, where three whole years are spent on educating them on the finer points of English and computer studies. But since July, a cloud of uncertainty has been hanging over its future with its main sponsor, the Mahapola Trust Fund suddenly deciding to withdraw funding. But the MBEI is determined to go on providing an education that is useful in today's competitive world to bhikkus. Its motto "Pannaya parisujhati” means 'wisdom purifies' and the Institute tries its best to stand testimony to that vision. The financial blow came in the form of a letter sent by the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, under which the Mahapola Trust Fund functions, which asked the Director of the MBEI, Venerable Hanthane Dhamma Gavesi Thero to look into alternative methods to fund activities and functions that are not directly related to the education of the bhikkus. The letter, dated July 23, makes it clear that this decision was taken due to monetary constraints and that this is not the only institution that has come under review of the Mahapola Trust Fund Board, which has taken similar decisions with regard to several other existing projects. It goes on to state that the equipment and facilities of the Institute should be maintained independently and that a decision was taken to review the possibility of funding the new batch of bhikku students, since they have already been admitted to the Institute. With branches in Colombo (Maradana) and Diyatalawa (even though it is not operational at the moment), the MBEI has given scholarships to 1128 bhikkus for the year 2003-2004. Undoubtedly, the MBEI has opened many hitherto unseen doors to many bhikkus young and old. The Institute does not discriminate on the applicant’s sect of Buddhism, gender nor their age group and this can be clearly seen in the graduation day photographs of its first year. A fully computerised institute, the MBEI has enjoyed the fruits of the hard work of many dedicated volunteers, local and foreign, lay and ordained. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Hanthane Dhamma Gavesi Thero said that so far they had managed to keep the place going,after the Mahapola Trust Fund's decision by dipping into the Bhikku Trust Fund, which was set up as a welfare fund at the Getambe Vihara. " If only they had given us a warning earlier, we could have been better prepared to face such a situation. The agreement that was signed between the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund and Mahapola Bhikku Educational Institute stipulates that it will be 'in force and effective for a period of ten years'. The MBEI commenced on January 1, 2003 and was supposed to end only on December 31, 2012," said Dhamma Gavesi Thero. Even though the Thero was of the view that there is little hope of the MTF funding it further, Secretary to the Mahapola (Higher Education Scholarship) Trust Fund, S. Wirithamulla however said that the MTF is not closing the MBEI down and was only looking at minimising expenditure. "True enough, it's a worthy cause but for this project MTF has been spending a lot of money. All agreements are subject to review but we do our best to abide by them. Certain other projects have had to close down. In the case of MBEI, a per-student grant is a possibility-we are not closing it down," Mr. Wirithamulla stated. Polonnaruwe Yasasri Thero is the youngest samanera among those in the MBEI scholarship scheme at present. Hailing from Danture in Pilimatalawa, he is attached to the Shri Vivekaramaya there. Just 17, the young monk has already finished his A/L's and hopes to go to university. Speaking for all his colleagues, the monk who is into the second year of his studies at MBEI, states that it would be a great misfortune if they were to lose out on a such a programme, which is dedicated to uplifting the status of bhikkus all over the island. |
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