Fri, 2012-09-21 00:44 — editor
Berlin, 21 September, (Asiantribune.com):
The purpose of the meeting was to outline current EDU projects and to be
briefed on the educational priorities and policies of the Sri Lankan
Government.
Upali Sarrath Kongahage lived up to his reputation as a soft spoken
diplomat, graduate of the University of Kelaniya, Attorney at Law and skilled
orator. The Secretary General was impressed by the Sri Lankan diplomat’s clear
explanation of the nation’s history from its foundation to present day,
delivered without notes, which demonstrated an almost encyclopaedic knowledge
of the nation he represents.
Topics discussed included
• Sri Lanka being one of the oldest established Asian democracies dating
from the 1930’s, being a pioneer in the region of introducing female voting
rights, having the first woman Prime Minister and the First woman President;
• The impressive attainment of a 90% literacy rate, free state funded
Education following the British model, up to and including tertiary level
education; the establishment of private universities specializing in Medical,
Legal and Information Technology areas;
• The importance placed upon I.T. literacy; the current strike amongst
university lecturers demanding that education be apportioned 6% of national GDP
in the face of difficulties to raise the input above 3% of GDP as the nation
takes on the costs of repair and reconciliation following three decades of civil
conflict; that the nation currently has about 80,000 students enrolled in
tertiary level education out of a population of about 21 million;
• The encouragement of multicultural private education establishments in
a tri-lingual country with Singhalese, Tamil and English as the official
languages, the provision of universal free medical care and the policy of
subsidizing agricultural materials such as fertilizer while at the same time
guaranteeing prices paid to farmers to encourage a stable food economy.
Upali Sarrath Kongahage spoke at length and with heartfelt conviction of
the need for all the peoples of Sri Lanka to come together in consolidation and
reconciliation of the peace established after an extended internal conflict.
Education, he affirms, is a prime factor in this undertaking. These comments
sat well with Irving Levance, since he heads an Intergovernmental Organization
dedicated to promoting understanding and education.
Sri Lanka’s enviable record in education provision is an impressive
example of how a well-planned and well-implemented education policy can benefit
a country’s development.
Current areas for improvement were identified in the need for training
schools for teachers, Information Technology and specialized languages.
- Asian Tribune -
