The donation of $36m could benefit four million children, bringing basics like electricity, sanitation and separate play areas to primary and secondary schools.
By Pradeep Seneviratne for Khabar South Asia in Colombo
January 16, 2013
The
prolonged civil war in this island nation has affected many institutions,
including the education sector. But there is a ray of hope in Australia's
recent pledge of help.
A representative of Sri Lanka College of
Journalism explains the curriculum to a parent, left, at an educational fair in
Colombo in October 2010. Australia's recent offer of school assistance will
help Sri Lanka produce an educated workforce. [Lakruwan Wanniararchchi/AFP]
The
move reflects a desire to help educate the future workforce in Sri Lanka,
boosting economic growth and in turn helping stem the flow of migrants seeking
a better life elsewhere -- many via perilous and illegal boat journeys to Australia.
On
December 15th, 2012, during his visit to Sri Lanka, Australian Foreign Minister
Bob Carr announced LKR 4.5 billion ($36m) would be spent over four years to
help an estimated four million primary and secondary school children in Sri
Lanka.
"We've
got an interest in a stable Sri Lanka ... with economic growth," Carr said
at the time, adding that improving educational opportunities in Sri Lanka was
in Australia's interest, given the twin issues of asylum seekers and human
trafficking.
Education
Minister Bandula Gunawardane hailed Australia's generous move to help improve
primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka.
"We
have planned to develop 5,000 primary schools with child-friendly
environments," Gunawardane told Khabar South Asia. "Australian aid
will be utilised for that purpose. Each school will get a separate play area,
activity room, electricity, water and sanitation facilities."
He
also said the Australian aid would be channeled through UNICEF in developing
these schools with modern facilities.
"We
know Australia makes a greater contribution globally in the promotion of
education. We want to benefit from this contribution by producing youths who
are employable anywhere in the world," Gunawardane added.
"We
are for a knowledge economy. Once we create opportunities in our country,
youths will not leave the country either through legal or illegal means seeking
greener pastures abroad."
Piyasiri
Fernando, president of All Ceylon Active Principals' Association, agreed that
improvement of school facilities with Australian assistance would greatly
improve education overall.
"Australian
aid will be used for school infrastructure development. As a school principal,
I am happy about this move," Fernando told Khabar.
Australia
already plays a role in educating Sri Lankans at the university level, due to
the paucity of higher education facilities on the island.
According
to the University Grants Commission (UGC), some 100,000 students qualify for
university education after general certificate exams, but the university system
can annually accommodate only 22,000 due to lack of facilities such as lecture
halls, teachers and hostels.
UGC
Chairman Gamini Samaranayake said a large number of qualified Sri Lankan
students sought enrolments at foreign universities last year. "Of them,
5,454 students had gone to the United Kingdom and 4,153 to Australia last
year," Samaranayake said.
Not
all students can make the trip. After finishing two years of college in 2010,
Tharindu Jayaratne, 22, wanted to go abroad to study engineering, but his
parents could not afford it.
"In
our country, there are limited opportunities for higher studies. Now I have
started doing a job at a private company in Colombo as a marketing official to
earn some money," Colombo resident Jayaratne told Khabar. "Once I
save enough money, I will go at least to a nearby Asian country to do my higher
studies."
He
welcomed news of Australia's contribution to education in Sri Lanka as a step
forward.
"If
the quality of education is improved and higher education opportunities are
made available to us, there will be no need to go abroad," Jayaratne said.
