Dimmed hope

Tuesday, 28 August 2012 01:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

HURLING Sri Lanka’s education system into further chaos, the teacher trade union has called for the Grade 5 Scholarship exam to be held again under allegations that the exam papers have leaked out.

As the crisis in the education system continues to deepen to reach the tots of Grade 5, there is a need to take stock of the situation. The Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) must present evidence for their claim and make responsible statements as this is an issue that can have a traumatic effect on thousands of children who have slaved for years.

It is no secret that Sri Lanka’s education system is extremely stressful with students being forced to endure endless tuition. Added to this, the unreliability of the exam system only brings further chaos and pressure into their young lives.

Since 4 July, universities have all but come to a standstill, with not only undergraduate but post graduate students who have paid for their education being left to stagnate as the university teachers took the fight to the Government. Against the odds they have continued to wage a battle to ‘save’ the education system of the country, but the stalemate between the two parties seems to be pushing learning standards into a further abyss.

The Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA), the trade union of the academics, is currently engaged in a strike demanding that the Government among others allocate six per cent of the country’s GDP for education and grant independence of universities from political interferences and an increase in salaries for university teachers. There is also tension over the Government’s proposal to privatise the higher education system.

According to Minister S.B. Dissanayake, the situation has become the main barrier for the progress of the students and to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the universities. The Minister says the strike by FUTA is politically motivated since the Government has taken maximum effort to find a solution to FUTA’s demands through several rounds of discussions. The Minister has noted that although final decisions were arrived at these discussions on agreements, the lecturers’ trade union has not shown a positive response to solve the problems.

The Government has agreed to all demands submitted by FUTA, except the one for a 20 per cent salary increase, he said, adding that the salaries of the university teachers had been increased by between 36 to 83 per cent. Further, increase of salaries will completely complicate the salary structures of public servants, the Minister has noted.

Meanwhile, academics on strike are not receiving their salaries. They are also distrustful of the Government after measures to increase their pay was not entered into the 2012 Budget as was agreed to in the aftermath of the crippling strike last year. The Z-score fiasco, inaccurate Advanced Level papers and FUTA’s refusal to mark them is threatening to push the issues even more out of control.

As time passes the problems become more and more convoluted, to the extent that finding a solution becomes all the more impossible. As more and more strata of education become embroiled in this devastation, hope becomes more dimmed for everyone.