The verdict is in. The fears and concerns of children, parents, teachers and educationists have been justified. They are no longer speculation to be dismissed lightly. School education including the curriculum and the syllabi is too vast. A huge 3.9 million children in the age group five plus to 19 years, from Grade 1 to the Advanced Level cannot cope.
This serious state of affairs in education is not being pointed out by just anyone but by an eminent panel of doctors who have studied the education system and literally gone back to their school books to check the "knowledge" stored there.
The panel comprising a neurosurgeon, a neurologist, a physician, an ophthalmologist and two paediatricians has found that there is an information overload, the purpose of which no one can decipher, for the schoolchild. This has led to unhealthy competition not only among children but also parents who are taking time off work to push them through this education system.
Teachers too cannot deal with the syllabi at a comfortable pace in the classroom, for the "knowledge" in the textbooks distributed by the Ministry of Education cannot be taught within the stipulated time limit. Thus teachers are also under pressure from principals to perform the impossible to maintain the standards of their respective schools.
Having seen numerous children with symptoms not related to any illness and realizing the gravity of the situation which is pushing our young ones to the brink of despair, sometimes even leading to nervous breakdowns and suicides, the doctors have gone through the textbooks with a fine toothcomb. Armed with this first-hand knowledge and the findings of a survey done among schoolchildren by medical students of the University of Raja Rata, they have come to a damning conclusion.
These findings are also proven by the abysmal performance of students at the Ordinary Level, the first major qualifying examination they face in their school career. Last year more than 50% who sat the O/L did not qualify for the A/L.
All these are clear indictments of the education system - that it is placing undue stress on schoolchildren.
These doctors have gone one step farther. Without confining their discussions to their clinics, they have taken up the matter with the Education Minitry's Parliamentary Consultative Committee chaired by Education Minister, Bandula Gunawardene, himself.
The time has now come for the authorities to take action and do so quickly without putting schoolchildren through this agony of the wringer that is education. Teams of experts comprising educationists and a majority of teachers handling the subjects should study the curricula and syllabi in depth. Searching questions as to what the purpose of studying such detailed contents need to be debated, taking into consideration the views of parents and those being subjected to such syllabi - the children themselves.
Evaluation of the system is essential, along with questions such as the following being pondered and redressed: Should we move the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination to Grade 7? Why should a student sit for nine subjects at the Ordinary Level? Should O/L students sit for a mix of science and arts subjects? Should the knowledge of the huge A/L syllabi be tested at one examination or held as staggered modules?
Other core issues too need to be studied. In view of the fact that Sri Lanka is no longer an isolated island but part of the global village, the importance of English and Information Technology should be looked at. While certainly not neglecting the mother tongues of Sinhala and Tamil, another crucial issue is whether our children have the "choice" of studying not only English but also in English? Should we deprive them of this invaluable tool if they wish to do so, as is evident from the thousands attending substandard English tuition classes? Shouldn't we give them the option of studying in English which will help them gain this vital tool for university education as well as integration in the global village?
Of course, this is easier said than done due to the dearth of teachers, both in this language and with the competency of teaching other subjects in English, as most have sought greener pastures abroad. However, it is better to start right now by upgrading the Teacher Training Colleges, so that in a decade or two Sri Lanka will be on par with any other nation of the world. The strengthening of English teaching as well as bi-lingual education was set in motion by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and this should be accelerated.
Fortunately, the urgent need for English and IT has been taken up by none other than President Mahinda Rajapaksa and hopefully this message will be taken to every nook and cranny of the country, especially through the education system.
Further, a major re-haul is needed in higher education as well. With limited seats in our universities, where are the technical colleges and vocational training centres to which students who do not wish to be doctors, engineers, lawyers, literary personalities can go to, to hone their skills in other fields, as important for the development of the country?
Let us not ape the west or the east, but let us study the education systems in other countries and develop our own, building on the laudable free education system which has made Sri Lankan society come out on top when taking into consideration the high literacy rate of its population.
Now it is up to the education authorities to spearhead the campaign to check out what is important that schoolchildren at different ages must learn, and make lessons fun adding the practical dimension along with textbook learning so that they retain the knowledge they gain. Next would be the challenge to streamline higher education to make opportunities available for everyone to excel in their chosen field.
At a time when the country has been rid of the scourge of war, the priority is to invest in an educated Sri Lanka for the future by increasing the education budget.
Do what is best by the Sri Lankan child. |
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