|
|
The cost of free education
Wednesday, 6 March 2013 - 11:50 AM SL Time
|
|
|
Close on the heels of an unfortunate incident where a small schoolgirl in Horana was hauled up before Courts for stealing a few coconuts to raise funds for painting her school comes a sad story that a fisherman has disposed of his canoe and forgone his livelihood in the process to admit his daughter to a GCE A/L class in a state-run school. He has had to pay Rs. 4,000 as admission fees, as we reported yesterday. This bears testimony to the cost of free education the ordinary people have to bear.
No sooner had the Horana incident been reported than the government declared that it was illegal for the public schools to collect money from parents for admissions, maintenance etc, and promised tough action against those who violated its directive. But, today, it has been left with egg on its face. The poor fisher who sold his humble bark tells us that his daughter s new school asked her to bring a desk and a chair as well! There are many parents who are neck deep in debt because of their children s free education which has to be supplemented with private tuition. School transport also costs them an arm and a leg.
The government has, to its credit, made schools safe for children by eliminating terrorism. Parents no longer have to wait near schools fearing for their precious ones safety. There are no child recruiters in the former war zone where children have resumed schooling. Its effort to develop IT and English education, sports etc are also to be appreciated. But, the fact remains that education is far from affordable to the ordinary people who suffer in silence. Adding insult to injury, Minister Bandula Gunawardena has audaciously claimed that a family of three could live on a monthly income of Rs. 7,500!
The government cannot absolve itself of the responsibility for this sorry state of affairs in the education sector by shifting the blame for fleecing the public to school heads, most of whom have no alternative but to pass the burden of maintaining their institutions to parents for want of funds from the state. Many schools catering to the marginalised children are without even basic sanitary facilities and water while their privileged counterparts in urban areas have swimming pools. It is not being argued that sports facilities in national schools should not be developed, but the glaring urban bias in the allocation of funds for education should be minimised, if not eliminated, and more funds set aside for schools and universities.
University teachers have warned again that they will resume their campaign for an increase in government expenditure on education, and they deserve public support. It is hoped that this time around the good dons will not make the mistake of offering their services as palanquin bearers to a bunch of bankrupt politicians who are also responsible for ruining free education.
Picking coconuts and selling canoes to raise funds for education are symptomatic of a deep crisis. The government had better take serious note of the adverse impact systematic resource squeezes have had on the education sector over the years. Rural schools are being closed down at a rate urban schools are overflowing with children and cater mainly to the affluent. Ruling party politicians declare every so often that there is a conspiracy to destroy free health care and free education. But, could there be a bigger threat to education and health sectors than a government that starves them of funding?
Sri Lanka is said to be aspiring to a knowledge economy which is not dependent on poor women s sweat and tears for survival. But, that will be pie in the sky unless the government allocates more funds for the education sector. How could a country aspire to create, evaluate and trade knowledge which has become today s currency, without making adequate investment in education?
|
|
|
Search All News and Discussions