Educating the Sri Lankan for the New Era

By Siri Hettige, Professor Emeritus of Sociology,

University of Colombo 

Given above is the title of a recently published book authored by Professor C. Kariyawasam , formerly a Professor of Education at the University of Colombo. It is not a big volume so the reader can leisurely go through it within a few days.

Education is a big topic being discussed in the public sphere in Sri Lanka today. On the one hand, the pandemic disrupted the school system and the universities, though steps have been taken to conduct classes and other activities online despite serious challenges that many students face to secure access to such programmes. On the other hand, some persisting problems within the education system have given rise to public agitations by teachers trade unions and others. Though these issues need to be sorted out rapidly in order to create minimum conditions necessary for educational institutions to function, there are also longstanding issues that need to be addressed through education policy reforms and other interventions. In is in this latter context that the book written by Professor Kariyawasam becomes highly relevant as it not only identifies many issues within the education system but provide many ideas that can guide the stakeholders in education to reflect on and make use of to find the most appropriate remedies. 

As indicated above, despite the generally positive impression that many people have regarding the country’s achievements in the education sector, many deep seated issues have persisted for long and some of the changes that have taken place in recent decades have not necessarily been for the better. In this regard, the widening gap between the ideals and the most cherished objectives of education on the one hand and the actual state of affairs in education on the other is the most important. When we consider this important issue, what is touched by the agitators who have launched a countrywide protest campaign demanding remedies to the problems they and others face is the tip of the iceberg. In fact, many more longstanding issues have remained unresolved with serious implications for society, economy, the life chances of school leavers, inter-community relations, national development, identity formation among children and youth, social cohesion, social justice, etc. 

Sri Lanka’s modern education system has evolved over many decades, even going back to the colonial times. The well-known Kannangara education reforms of 1945 led to the revamping of the then education system, making it more streamlined, democratic and equitable. But, over the last seventy years, it has gone through many changes, depending on economic, social and cultural policies adopted by successive governments. 

The above situation arose in Sri Lanka, despite the fact that serious educationists, intellectuals and researchers in the country, guided by long standing and wide ranging intellectual discourses on education, here and elsewhere have come up with brilliant and progressive ideas that can help policy makers to take appropriate measures to address them. In this regard, 2003 National Education Commission recommendations are quite significant, just to mention one example. 

It is against the above background that Prof. Kariyawasam’s book becomes highly significant. Though it is not a large volume, it touches on many aspects of education such as diverse philosophical discourses on education and multiple functions of modern education that address contemporary social, cultural, political, environmental and development issues and prepare younger generations not only to face diverse challenges  but also to make use of the opportunities that come their way. 

For want of space, it is not possible to summarise  all the information, ideas and recommendations contained in this highly dense book in a short review of this nature but need to mention here that  this book offers many insights that many stakeholders can make use of, in particular, by  teachers whose actual and  potential role is the most critical. Yet, others like youth, parents, policy makers and educational administrators can be as inspired by the ideas contained in the book. 

One of the most important ideas that is highlighted throughout the book is that education performs many functions in society, not just impart skills that help youth to find gainful employment. That is why education has to be broad-based, encompassing many aspects of human life in modern societies. Moreover, education is not a process confined to a few years in school but a one that unfolds throughout one’s life. 

Another important idea that is highlighted in the book is the need for students to become competent in self-directed learning that helps them to become independent in their learning. This is particularly important in the present Information Age. 

As is widely discussed today, school education is narrowly conceived and is largely confined to knowledge acquisition, often knowledge of an instrumental nature, through school instruction. This is accompanied by participation in memory testing examinations. All these result in the neglect of broader and deeper purpose of education to produce a well-rounded person who has multiple competencies and attributes. The author provides an impressive list of potential products of a well-designed education system. These are: self-directed learner, creative person, critical thinker, democratic citizen, person who values a simple lifestyle, peace builder, effective communicator, lover of literature, aesthete, entrepreneur, environmentalist and futurist. 

A child who spends a major part of his or her young age in a well-organised educational institution is more than likely to develop as a versatile person with multiple competencies, diverse interests, a broad worldview, and widely valued human qualities. On the other hand, no person should leave school without acquiring at least some of the above attributes that make the person fit to function in a modern democratic society, leading a productive and contented life, while contributing to the wellbeing of fellow citizens in whatever way he or she can. 

In this book, the author does not always follow the conventional styles of writing and presenting information. This, however does not reduce the value of the publication. As mentioned earlier, this is a book that should be made use of by a cross section of the Sri Lankan population as it can help them to look at education from a different angle, which is the need of the hour in this country.