Sri Lanka boast of 92% literacy rate, 98% of the population completing primary education and 88% of the population completing secondary education in 2007 according to the 2009 Human Development Report. Yet the issues of unemployment, youth unrest, civil violence and poverty level of the country indicates that the country has not been able to deliver quality education that contributes towards total personality development.
Providing a quality education is key for human development of the country and holistic human development is the only way country could achieve high standards in development. Education reforms suggested by Presidential Task Force in 1997 also looks at how to empower students to be productive citizens with necessary knowledge, attitude and skills and how to create corrective values, such as compassion, care and tolerance towards fellow citizens.
Reforms implemented in 1998 based on the Presidential Task Force Recommendations concentrated on improving quality of education; providing education opportunities for all; developing practical and technical skills; provision of education and training opportunities for all teachers and improving management & provision of resources.
In 2001, considering the gaps in 1997 reforms, Ministry of Education implemented a plan on development of schools on fast track; counseling and career guidance; teaching of English and foreign languages; promoting information technology in schools; teacher performance appraisal; strengthening the management of education and promoting Education for All vision.
While appreciating all the great initiatives taken by the Sri Lankan Government to ensure free education, herewith I would like to share few thoughts on improving quality of education.
- Promote equal access to education system for all children by bringing all schools to one standard. I know it is difficult to achieve this goal as it needs lot of resource allocation and commitment towards developing rural type 3 schools. Yet if we can strive on this goal, we could reduce the competition for few schools, reduce discrimination in employment based on the school attended and children of most marginalized segment of society will also be able to obtain a quality education.
- Promoting child participation in education is an area that has not received much consideration in the education system. Children’s opportunities in decision making related to teaching, administration and activities of schools are minimal. Promoting participation in decision making at young age is a way of developing future leaders who could take initiative.
- Standardizing resource allocation for education the access Equal access to education by positively discriminating most marginalized and vulnerable communities and increasing for type 3 schools; Structuring catch up classes;
- Developing employable skills, such as IT, English through the education system is a necessity to promote quality of education. Of course the Government has taken initiative to develop these skills, yet children in remote schools have not been able to benefit from these initiatives as a result of lack of trained teachers and lack of facilities.
- Promote child-friendly learning approaches in schools.
- Promote positive disciplining in schools. Corporal punishment has been banned. Yet there is a common practice it utilizing corporal punishment as teachers are not aware of positive disciplining approaches.
Providing a rights based, quality education for all children in the country with equal opportunities for access and equal resource allocation is the best way that we could overcome poverty and ensure that literacy rates of the country means more than the percentage of people who could read and write.
No comments:
Post a Comment