A key issue worries a significant youth population in Sri Lanka, is the difficulty to find a suitable job to meet their expectations. The long term goal should be to create jobs, but if somebody at least helps others to find proper employment opportunities that itself is commendable. We hope the other politicians too follow the Lyceum example, and conduct job fairs rather than pushing their supporters to positions within government ruing the system. This news item from today’s Daily Mirror. _________________________________________________________ “Virekiyawen-Rekiyawakata†the annual job fair organized by the Lyceum International School in collaboration with the Mohan Lal Grero Foundation will be held on September 8, 2007 from 8.
It has become so very difficult to highlight any one problem that the people in this country face .There are so many issues caused by the mismanagement, corruption and abuse of power and just the lack of concern. Good governance seems to a be a myth as politicians seek to nurture themselves as they survive in their niches of power .They are no longer worried about the issues facing the voters who were once dazzled by the manifestos they presented .Today these voters have been reduced to discarded statistics while the politicians like the famous ostriches who hid their heads in the sand feeling that since their tiny heads are not visible no one will see them.
The first ever National Education Act will be introduced next year, the chairman of the committee appointed to formulate the Act said yesterday. Former Education Director General G.B. Gunawardna who heads the seventeen-member committee said the committee had already held two discussions since its appointment recently by the Education Minister on a directive by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “The committee has been asked in its terms of reference to formulate a ‘National Education Act’ as Sri Lanka did not have a coherent, clear cut policy or law on education since gaining independence.
Issue of Grade One School Admission has taken an unexpected turn against the evolution of the education policies of Sri Lanka. Although there is a Supreme Court ruling, every one including the judiciary is not above the ‘Law of Justice’. Justice should prevail in any court or any judgment. By granting the fundamental rights of a few elites, the court is denying the fundamental rights of the ordinary citizens of the nation. This event is in the making of history in Sri Lana’s education.
One hundred Sri Lankan students were awarded Mahatma Gandhi Scholarships yesterday at a function organized by the High Commission of India in Colombo. These students were selected from all 25 districts on the criteria of merit-cum-means based on their performance at the GCE ‘O’ Level examinations 2007 as well as interviews jointly conducted by the High Commission of India Colombo and the Ministry of Higher Education. The selected scholars will receive financial assistance of Rs.1,500 per month for a period of two years to enable them to successfully pursue their ‘A†Level courses. The Mahatma Gandhi Scholarship programme, which was instituted last year, will continue in future, and every year 100 or more Sri Lankan students will be selected from all the districts of the country for the award of scholarships in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian High Commission said.
Internationalisation of School Education Dr. Siri Gamage  EDUCATION: This paper critically examines the internationalisation of education in Sri Lanka in the last two decades, relevant discourses and their implications on the society and culture. A well-known Sri Lankan educationist once said that there is no informed educational debate in Sri Lanka. What exists there is only several myths extracted from the British educational tradition’ (Udagama 1981/82:8). However, it is important to see if these myths continue to exist, whether the myths have changed, or indeed different myths have been extracted from other powerful countries such as USA, and Australia.
Court approves Draft policy on school admissions Wants speedy reference to Cabinet: Wasantha Ramanayake COLOMBO: The Supreme Court yesterday having approved the draft Policy framework for school admissions for the year 2008 directed the Education Ministry Secretary’s speedy action to present it to the Cabinet of Ministers for their sanction. The Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Ariyaratne Hewage tendered the draft Policy Framework to the court. The Court directed the Secretary to submit to the court any reservations by the Cabinet of Ministers in order to consider whether such reservations could be incorporated in the Policy framework. If there would be none the Secretary should take steps to have it published as a circular to be applicable for 2008. However, the Court observed that the authorities are at liberty to refer the matter to the National Education Committee to formulate a policy framework for the school admissions for the succeeding years.
University education to be broad-based – Minister Warnapala Rohan MATHES COLOMBO: Higher Education Minister Prof. Vishva Warnapala asserted that University education would never ever be privatised but would be broad-based in line with modern trends of education with the formulation of a ‘Development Oriented’ policy for higher education. Addressing journalists at the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department in Narahenpita yesterday, Minister Warnapala stressed that the frequently misinterpreted and misleading slogan of ‘Privatisation of Universities’ was a myth. Nevertheless, he said that we ought to move with the contemporary global trends and ascend from a primarily and absolutely undergraduate education to a postgraduate education system based on quality and relevance. “We have maintained a ‘Social Demand’ model of education since 1944.
Eighteen-year-old Arvind Aradhya from the Indian city of Bangalore has stars in his eyes these days.  He aims to be an astronaut in future and he believes his dreams of reaching the stars are just about to come true. Winning a reality talent hunt show on an Indian television channel has given Arvind an opportunity to study engineering at Warwick University. The Indian television channel, NDTV, conducted the show – called Scholar Hunt, Destination UK. It is a multi-discipline contest which provides opportunities for students in India to win prestigious scholarships to five renowned universities in Britain.
A top university academic this week urged the private sector to stop criticism of universities saying “we do not criticise anyone so lets get together and work for a common goalâ€. The comments were made by Prof Ananda Jayawardane, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa, during a presentation at the Industrial Relations Forum (IRF) of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka on the theme “Importance of University Interaction with the Industrial Relations Forum. He was speaking at the Third IRF, according to a statement of the meeting issued by the FCCISL. IRF which was started very modest with just eight members has presently grown to a large representative body and is also focusing on the SME Sector. Prof Jayawardena said that in training graduates to suit the industry one should understand the duty of the universities.