Sri Lanka still lacks an ambitious Higher Education Policy to accelerate economic and social development, Higher Education Minister Prof. Wiswa Warnapala said.“Since the establishment of the University of Ceylon in 1942, universities have made a contribution for the development of both intellectual and professional enterprise in the country. Several professions, through the University system, came to be developed in the country and like the Engineering profession, they have made an impact on the economic process and social changeâ€. The Minister was addressing the Induction, and Graduation Ceremony organised by the Institute of Engineers’.
Amidst concerns of parents on evaluating children on their intelligence and aptitude when seeking admission to schools, the Education Ministry declared no mechanism had yet been formulated for use in evaluating the child. Education Minister Susil Premjayantha said the Ministry was yet to receive instructions from the Presidential Secretariat on evaluating children’s intelligence and aptitude, though applications for Grade 1 will be called from August 15 onwards as ordered by the Supreme Court. “All 9,000 Government schools will be following the new system when admitting children to schools though semi-government and private schools are free to choose whatever scheme they prefer,†the Minister said. Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service Union secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe said it was difficult to gauge a child’s intelligence and aptitude at the age of 4½ without imparting a properly guided primary education to the child. Source: http://www.
University Students should not think that they could topple the government by getting involved in political agitation. They should study well and contribute to the well being of the country. They must be equipped with knowledge needed to live in the technological world, said Minister of Higher Education, Professor W. A. Wiswa Warnapala at a ceremony held at Kegalle St.
The phenomena of unemployment has historically been a fashionable theme relentlessly subjected to dialogue in academic spheres and by almost all political parties that intended to gain power since post independence. One may construe this as a beggar’s wound universally exploited by politicians to gain political mileage especially in the epoch of frenzied presidential polls.In a way, what is wrong in it when even President Bill Clinton sang the same old song to advance himself from being the Governor of remote Arkansas to be the 42nd President of United States? Like many Sri Lankan politicians who find the non-alignment between education and unemployment extremely mesmerising, even the U.S President pledged that by year 2000 the American students will be made competent in subjects such as Mathematics, Science and English, so that they may be well-equipped to be productively employed in the modern economy.
The Government has decided to allocate Rs. 360 million to provide hostel facilities to undergraduates of the Rajarata University.Accordingly, two hostel buildings capable of providing accommodation to 800 students will be constructed for the university. “A proposal submitted by Higher Education Minister Prof. Wishwa Warnapala to this effect received the nod of the Cabinet on Wednesday,†Cabinet spokesman and Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa told the media yesterday.
Teachers in UK have called for websites such as YouTube to be shut down as part of efforts to prevent pupils and staff being bullied. Delegates at the conference of the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) said bullying can continue outside school and work hours. They said bullies can send abusive text messages or e-mails to victims. A spokesman for the website YouTube said the vast majority of people used the site responsibly. At the PAT annual conference in Harrogate, delegates heard that bullies have posted mobile phone videos on websites, showing teachers as well as pupils being attacked or humiliated.
Who in the world submitted this school admission criteria brief to the SC? Is it the same National Institute of Education which gave 5 points for an insane category called parents at educations institutes? I am not an expert on the constitution or human rights, but how fair or constitutional is it to keep a 5-year old from attending a school in his/her neighborhood because the parent did not pass the GCE A/L or whatever? Giving points for politicians? Why?
A protest conducted by students of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, was dispersed by police using tear gas at Ward Place yesterday.The police used tear gas and water cannons when the protestors tried to enter the Higher Education Ministry premises to hand over a document to the Higher Education Minister Prof. Wiswa Warnapala. According to university sources the students have conducted this protest against the Higher Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission demanding the granting of several demands including hostel facilities, inadequate academic and non-academic staff, educational equipment deficiency, facilities for libraries and lecture rooms etc. Finally the Higher Education Minister held a discussion with the student’ representatives and the Minister promised to fulfil some of the demands with immediate effect.
We Sri Lankans boast about a literacy rate of over 90%. Yes, statistically it’s true. But, just get out of your statistical frame of mind, and look at the stark reality. Most of our schools are not fit to be called schools in the true sense of the word.Those schools are so appalling that they simply cannot contribute towards sustaining a high literacy rate.
With nobody taking responsibility for anything, the Chief Justice and his team seem to be formulating policy at a rate. The latest is the formula recommended by the courts for Grade 1-admissions. The Courts ruled sometime back that the admission criteria are unconstitutional. Guarding the constitutions is their business. Good job, hats off.