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.
The Tenth death anniversary of the late Professor Nandadasa Kodagoda falls tomorrow. Emeritus senior Professor in Forensic Medicine, Professor Nandadasa Kodagoda was a former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Colombo, and was later appointed its Vice Chancellor. He was the Chairman of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board and the Chairman of the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre. Professor Kodagoda was a popular public health communicator through the print and electronic media. At the public commemoration meeting which will be held Tomorrow, at 5.
The last computer literacy survey done by the Census and Statistics Department in 2004 puts the IT literacy of the 5-69 yrs population in Sri Lanka less than 10%. (See graph) Of course, one has to take these figures with a pinch of salt. The life expectance in Sri Lanka is not 69 years (It is 72 for males and 77 for females) so the figures are skewed more towards the younger population. Also it is noteworthy that the ‘IT literacy’ was defined in this survey as the ‘ability to operate a computer’ – even for a basic task like copying a file or playing games. So the 10% IT literacy rate does not mean much.
University students in Sri Lanka have accused the government of secretly working on agenda to privatise state universities.  Duminda Nagamuva, convenor of Inter University Student Union (IUSU), accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government of gradually reducing budget allocation for state universities. “The allocation was reduced by 20 per cent in January. Another 50 per cent was recently reduced announced,” he told BBC Sandeshaya. Commenting on a recent report by government auditors, Nagamuva said the government has lost Rs.
Applications for grade one from Aug. 15; List to be finalised by November 15 50 marks for child’s intelligence and aptitude 40 marks for parental consideration 10 marks for brother-sister category The Supreme Court yesterday approved the much-looked forward to draft circular on the national policy for school admission and management of schools, and ordered that public schools call for applications for grade one admissions for next year from August 15. The Bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, Justices Raja Fernando and Jagath Balapatabendi said the Presidential Secretary would monitor the implementation of the new circular in the capacity of Competent Authority. The Court said schools should appoint their respective selection committees before August 31 and finalize the list of grade one admissions for next year by November 15.
COLOMBO: The protest conducted by the students of Rajarata University was called off after an assurance given to the agitators by Higher Education Minister Prof. Wiswa Warnapala that the Ministry would take immediate action to address students’ grievances. The Minister agreed to solve most of the demands of the students at the meeting held at the Higher Education Ministry with ten members of the students’ union yesterday afternoon. The Minister said that he has submitted a Cabinet paper last Wednesday and received the Cabinet approval to construct two hostels which would facilitate accommodation of 800 students. Accordingly, the Government has allocated Rs.
This year and perhaps hereafter children will be allocated schools largely according to their intelligence/aptitude levels. 25% of the marks are given for intelligence (= capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc. – from dictionary.com) AND 25% for aptitude. (= capability; ability; innate or acquired capacity for something; talent – from dictionary.