The LIRNEasia survey of degree programs offered outside of the public- university system revealed vibrant sector producing 8293 degrees or degree equivalents in 2011/12. The 13 Public universities produced 12,604 graduates in contrast. Of the institutions outside of the public universities, Private universities produced 2,733 graduates. and 10 public institutions outside of the purview of the UGC produced 4,229 graduates. Notably 73% of the computer science/IT graduates were produced by the private universities.
Education reforms are in the air in Sri Lanka. Finally, a proposal to draft a new education act is being considered by a special consultative committee of the parliament. In these deliberations simple truths often get lost in the details. Take the issue of curriculum, for instance. What do our children really need to learn to be well and happy in an increasingly complex and competitive world?
According to a New York Times report the Secretary of Education in USA Arne activating the human rights division in department in an effort to force the fifty to states in the union to enforce federal laws that protect poor, minority and disabled students. That means that states and localities that have historically shortchanged these children — by saddling them, say, with watered-down curriculums and unqualified teachers — will be required to do better or risk losing federal education dollars. Such is the way that the central government in USA tries influence the education process es that ar devolved right down to local government level. In Sri Lanka too, If education is truly devolved to the provinces as is mandated in the 13th amendment, our minister of education in the national government can be the regulator instead of the bumbling fool who can not deliver the text books on time or get term tests done properly. What is stopping our national government from doing the seemingly sensible thing?
Following is an abstract of the presentation made by Dr. Sujata Gamage to the Council on Higher Education in Pretoria, South Africa, on February 23, 2010. ABSTRACT Universities are increasingly called upon to contribute to the development needs of a country but the nature of the contribution can vary with the mission or the resource base of the institution. University systems in most countries, by design or otherwise, consist of a diverse range of institutions. An assessment of the contribution of a university requires some means of telling apples from the oranges.
While the debate on banning of mobiles in schools is raging it is refreshing to hear of a school that is using the mobile as a teaching device and teach proper use of the device at the same time. As the mobiles becomes smarter they will become affordable alternatives to computers. (See http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-07-27-cellphoneschool_N.
Concern on English and IT education from grass root level to policy level is increasing day by day. The author of this article tries to give more alternatives for this issue with a view of global context. The BBC and the use of English I would like to warmly congratulate our President on his recent initiative in promoting English and IT. All those with any compassion for the underprivileged would support this, because it is the underprivileged who would benefit most from it. The JVP and the JHU would probably not be delighted because they have been traditionally against the promotion of English.
 Modern mysteries of education By Dr Harsha Aturupane, Senior Economist, Human Development Unit, South Asia Region, World Bank http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090322/FinancialTimes/ft308.html Prof. J.
Eight thousand of the 10,000 principals failed examination God bless the students (Lanka-e-News, June 11, 2009, 7.20 PM; http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?
Prof. Carlo Fonseka, formerly of the Medical Faculty of Colombo, is an authority on this subject. When asked as to why some people persist in the belief that Medical education should be a State monopoly and PMCs are wrong, he replied; “One reason is that it has always been a State monopoly and we have produced some of the best doctors in the world, so, something of proven value and established merit should not be changed†By Ishara Jayawardane download I Think I Love My Wife In the recent past, there has been much debate about the establishment of Private Medical Colleges (PMC) in Sri Lanka. A range of arguments have been put forward and the topic remains open to debate. Will the establishment of a Medical College be a boon or a mistake?
By Carlo Fonseka The Island – 07th April 2009 http://www.island.lk/2009/04/07/opinion2.html Recently at very short notice I deputized for the Chairman of the University Grants Commission at the launch of “Adyapanaya 2009”, a Higher Education and Career Exhibition organized by the private sector. Obliged to speak impromptu, I made a few off the cuff remarks.