At a time when there is severe competition to enter the Sri Lankan conventional universities, cost being prohibitive to pursue degree programmes overseas, economic reasons, aptitudes and skills for technical education, there are many opting to pursue Foundation Programmes of study, immediately after the GCE O/L in lieu of GCE A/L qualifications to enter reputed degree programmes of studies both locally and overseas.
Looking back into the past, entry to universities has been mainly through University entrance examinations, High School Certificate (HSC), GCE A/L etc. But since the early 1980s with the establishment of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), Foundation Courses have been conducted in Sri Lanka, in science, engineering technology, humanities and social studies respectively.
These are for students most of whom
i) did not attempt GCE A/L examination,
ii) did not achieve the required GCE A/L results to enter the conventional university system,
iii) pursued other certificate/ diploma level courses considered suitable to enter the first year or even the second year of the degree courses.
In addition to the implementation of the OUSL Foundation Courses from 1980, since of late, the entry to overseas degree programmes could be pursued
a).through Foundation Courses conducted in Sri Lanka by the respective universities and / or their accredited awarding bodies,
b).through the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) system to the Colleges of Technology leading to their Diploma, and
c).thereafter proceed to the University of Vocational Technology (UNIVOTEC) for the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) degree.
However, those who aspire to obtain reputed overseas degrees for various reasons, could initially with GCE O/L results pursue the respective Foundation Courses locally, and even further levels and thereby obtain an overseas degree eventually by studying most of the yeas or all in Sri Lanka.
There is a concern however about Foundation Courses vis a vis GCE A/L completion. The well designed Foundation Courses have been so designed, that relevant subject material up to GCE A/L or even higher are being taught with more modules such as soft skills, IT skills, language skills etc. all of which are very relevant and truly a FOUNDATION to the aspired degree programme.
There is a misconception however that only by pursuing the GCE A/Ls that maturity could be achieved, by spending two more years in a secondary school. For students who are confident in obtaining the required GCE A/L results and being selected from the district or on the national merit quota to conventional Sri Lanka State University system, the two years of study in GCE A/L at the secondary school would definitely contribute not only for maturity but also satisfaction in being selected to be an undergraduate.
Prof. Dayantha Wijeyesekera
Governor, Gateway Graduate School
former Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka and University of Moratuwa,
former Consultant Technical Education Development Project
But those who do not get admission would be mature, but frustrated especially when they notice their classmates having pursued the Foundation Course route (2 years duration same as that for the GCE A/L in a tertiary level education Institute) ending up with a valuable employable degree.
Hence, this article is to encourage all those who are confident to enter the conventional university system, but for those especially with other aptitudes, economic reasons, lack of confidence to secure the required GCE A/L results for a conventional university, to consider recognized Foundation Programmes available now mainly in three different established avenues through
1) OUSL for a wide range of disciplines
2) CoTs for Technical Education and the UNIVOTEC
3) Private overseas degree programme providers in selected areas. |
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