A candidate who had sat for his O/Level at an exam centre somewhere in the south this time, had written in his English language answer script, "Even if we are fed, we can't learn English."
What the applicant says is not quite clear. He seems to have come to a preconception, that they cannot be taught even by well experienced and clever teachers. If that is the case, finding a remedy to that problem is extremely difficult. Because, they are not prepared to learn.
If the intention of the applicant was to give vent to his feelings of despair and frustration towards English, this incident should serve as an eye-opener for the authorities. It is a well-known fact that a large number of students who offer English at their O/Level exam are failures. Why does it happen so? Don't they really want to learn English?
If it is so, why do they crowd in to so-called private English tutories, not in hundreds but in thousands, soon after they finish their O/Level and A/Level exams? This is simply because, they do like English. Whether these tutories are capable of imparting to them the knowledge they are seeking, is altogether a different matter.
What is quite evident is, most of these youngsters are suffering from a thirst for English. By trying to achieve, what they couldn't at school, generally in eight or ten years, they expect to catch it up within few months at these tutories; the majority of them, again, miserably fail. As a result of this, the social gap with regard to English, between the rural youths and their counterparts in the urban areas, is ever widening, paving the way to bitter hatred towards the latter segment.
Everybody knows, that some schools do not have English teachers, at all. Sometimes, they get a teacher when they have come upto an upper grade, where the teacher is expected to teach the relevant class text, to a batch of students, minus basic knowledge. Some students have to part with their teachers in the middle of term, when the teachers get transfers or are transferred to somewhere else. Thus, the students are left in the lurch, thoroughly disappointed and discouraged.
It would be a good exercise, if some kind of arrangement could be made, to identify this category of students who have been 'stranded' or 'lost on the way' and get them boosted with an over-dose of English through dedicated teachers.
With reference to "The Sunday Times" editorial of January 19 titled "New Indo-Sri Lanka Treaty Needed", the piece appears to be more of an emotional outburst rather than a professional or rational comment on a vital issue of our beloved country. There really appears to be no need for any new Indo-Sri Lanka treaty at all since we have the SAARC forums.
The editorial does not even acknowledge the help rendered by India since the time both nations became independent. Specially like the time when the government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike faced crisis in the seventies and India had to help out with troops, the settlement of the Kachativu issue, the regular food aid, the presentation of 1000 computers for our children, the assistance at the time of the oil tank fire and many more.
If India stepped in, in the Tamil question, it was more to secure her own legitimate national interests than any other motive. If thousands of people from the neighbouring country seek refuge in India, it would have a snowballing effect on that country's situation. Sri Lanka should have anticipated a reaction and learnt from the experience of Bangladesh.
India does not have any interest in the destabilisation of its neighbouring countries. It has a programme for its people and has neither the inclination nor the reason to waste its time and effort or interfere in such affairs. Nor does it need to add additional land, people or their problems to its already heavy schedule.
The truth is that the Tamil question of Sri Lanka is the direct result of the Sri Lankan politicians and intellectuals on both sides of the national divide, being more concerned with claims of their superior origins and ignoring the other sections of its own citizenry.
It could have been resolved in the fifty years of independent Sri Lanka, but its leaders were men and women who did not possess the requisite statesmanship or vision. There is no change from that attitude even now. If Sri Lanka had managed its own affairs on the basis of justice and equality for all of its people, it would not have been in the present situation.
That is the hard fact irrespective of whatever reasons put forward. If that were not the case, the present government and leaders could not have ascended to power.
Therefore, let us not seek fresh treaties, when we are not capable or competent to manage our own affairs. Let us have our own effective and viable political system based on equality, justice and social welfare for all of our people irrespective of the differences of race or colour or religion. Let us have a system where future Prabhakarans and Rohana Wijeweeras have the confidence and freedom to seek justice within the framework of Sri Lanka, rather than going to outsiders whether it is India or Britain or other countries.
Government has set March 27 for the local government elections. As the date fixed , falls within a week of significance to the Christians' (both Sinhala and Tamil) viz the Holy Week, which commences on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday March30, the election if held on the said date, will certainly disturb the peace of mind, essential , for Christians to discharge their religious obligations.
The history of elections, in Sri Lanka, indicates that these elections have not been devoid of violence. Hence in the honour of the "Prince of peace", whose followers constitute about 10% of the population, would it not be better to hold the elections after this period or perhaps after Wesak?
The National Day of a country is, perhaps, the most opportune day to ponder on how best a Nation could move forward to achieve its cherished goals; it is an appropriate day to reflect on the lives of those great leaders of the Nation, both living and dead, who have dedicated their lives in the service of the Nation; it is a day for us to take stock of our failings and plan our future with hope and determination; it is also a day for us to sink our petty differences of caste, creed, race and party politics and think seriously of engaging ourselves in building a nation where peace, harmony and concord would prevail; it is the day for each and everyone of us to re-dedicate our lives in selfless service and help build a free, just and righteous society.
Forty nine years have elapsed since Sri Lanka gained her Independence, and forty nine years is indeed a big slice in the life of a generation. Time, like an ever rolling stream has passed away, but our attitudes remain unchanged - our attitudes to society, to our environment, to our neighbours, to our fellow countrymen, to religion, and to life itself. Sense of values and moral standards have fallen woefully; justice and fairplay have been relegated to the background; honesty and integrity of character are no more considered virtues; punctuality is a rare occurrence; merit, capability and efficiency are no longer pre-requisites for promotion. Yes, right through these forty nine years these have been going on, gathering intensity and momentum year after year. The time has come when we have to think afresh and think in terms of the nation's development.
The basics for the development of a country are a high level of social integration, national unity and political stability. And ours, being a multi-religious, multi-racial nation, the fulfilment of these basic conditions becomes imperative. It is a right of every citizen, whether he is a Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim or Burgher, or whether he be a Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim or Christian, or whether he is a plantation worker, farmer or fisherman, to expect from the government privileges. Every person has to be treated with respect and his basic needs met.
At no time in the history of Sri Lanka has there been a greater demand for men of selfless service than today. Patriotic service is the clarion call of the hour. The chimes of time keep calling for honest, dedicated and committed servicemen seeking their own well-being in the well-being of all, men who will identify their own life with the life of all, and men who will seek their own interests with the interests of all. Are you ready my fellow countrymen to answer this call?
Let's hold hands and protect this world we live on together
All sorts
of things happen around the world everyday
Unbelievably sad things happen,
too
But don't be discouraged
Let's live with love
Let's take care of
this irreplaceable world with our own hands
Let's put away yesterday and
today's hate and hope for peace tomorrow
The sun rises and sets
The
moon shines bright in the night
And the night and the stars twinkled in the
firmament
Birds sing
Flowers bloom
Endless sea and sky
Let's
never lose this incredibly beautiful natural world
Furthermore let's not
forget gentle hearts and our common beliefs
There is an important flower in
the breast of every person
And it blooms somewhere on earth
Whenever we
are able to communicate our feelings of trust
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