The inequality of dreams

By Isuru Abeysekara

He stood there in the sunlight, with beads of sweat – hinting at hours of hard work in the fields – glistening on his back. Escaping to the beauty of rural Sri Lanka, away from the stressful work schedules was one thing, but making friends to spend that period of relief was another. We instantly smiled in unison, setting the foundation for a conversation that lasted many-an-hour. As we updated each other, asking questions about each other’s lives, one being the product of the busy, urban city and the other, a farmer of an isolated, rural village, one question struck me permanently.

“What are your future plans?” I enquired.

“Nothing much; I’ll just work on my father’s fields,” he replied in a very matter-of-fact tone.

Coming from a very competitive academic environment in the heart of Colombo, this took me by surprise. At the same time, this eye opener gave way to a realisation – the inequality of dreams in Sri Lanka.

My friend, like many of the youth (especially in rural areas) in Sri Lanka, is a victim of the state education system. With more than 250, 000 students doing their A levels every year, only 16% attend state universities, due to the tragedy of the Z score. Admittance is dictated by ranking students according to the average of Z scores, part of a national policy which promotes district based representation.  This leaves the youth in rural areas at a disadvantage.

Why, you may wonder.

The mean income in households is Rs. 64,152 in the Western province whereas in the rural Eastern Province it is just Rs. 30,676 . Statistically, this represents the ability of households in urban areas to fund the higher education of a student better than a student from rural areas in the event that students do not enter state universities. Consequently, the number of students that gain the exposure to higher education from rural areas becomes limited. Without basic skills to pursue careers, and access higher paying jobs, the rural youth, inclusive of my dear friend fall in to an unfortunate trap of poverty.

Surprised with his almost fatalistic answer, I studied his sun scorched faced with contained surprise, trying not to betray the question that came next with my expressions.

“But you could just move to the city and work, right?” I followed.

“I am the eldest in the family. I have to take care of the fields. There is no place in the city for me,” was the pessimistic reply he gave me.

Familial obligations remain a significant barrier to the mobility of the youth in rural areas. Other barriers include housing, which remains higher in Colombo than in other rural areas, causing migrating to cities to be costly . Moreover, health in rural areas is visibly poor, showcased by indicators such as underweight children under the age of five, which was at 30.8% whereas it was just 18.2% in Colombo in 2000.  Many teenagers therefore stay back to tend to their sick family members, as opposed to migrating to find a higher paid job in urban areas where poverty is less prevalent.

This encounter exposed the dark truth about the state of minds of the youth in the rural areas of Sri Lanka. As a result of the poor situation they are born into, they are conditioned

into accepting their current life as their reality. Meanwhile, the ones educated, aim to strive for greatness to realise their potential, challenging the conditions they live in right now. Their reality is the dream they aim to realise. 

Multiple factors influence these education-based realities, mainly the accessibility of schools. As the 2014 National Human Development Report dictates, based on this geographical bias, a majority of the provinces, except the Western Province, has many schools that are categorised as ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ based on accessibility and facilities. 

What is the way forward?

The million dollar answer to the million dollar question is uniform education, irrespective of location. President Sirisena pledged to triple the education budget, whilst also promising to double the intake by introducing a loan scheme . 

Yet solid steps must be taken further, with reform being of a greater magnitude focusing on geography. With education, will the rural youth realise their potential, and be blessed with ambition.

As my conversation expired, he withdrew back to his eternal home – his ancestral fields – and I advanced to my hotel, my refuge for the duration of the trip. To this day, I cannot help but wonder how different my friend’s life would have been, if he was given the opportunity to pick and choose where he was born. 

If only he was exposed to the education that was parallel to the quality of education observed in urban areas. If only he knew what he was capable of. 

If only he dreamt for the stars. 

1http://www.voicesofyouth.org/en/posts/sri-lanka-s-education-system--the--3-problems-to-fix, first paragraph

 2sri lanka socio - economic data 2016-central bank of sri lanka, june 2016

 3https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/colombo

  4www.statistics.gov.lk , “Social Conditions of Sri Lanka”

(The writer is a 19-year-old who just graduated from high school in Sri Lanka. He is involved in MUN, debating and several community service projects in his locality. His interests 

to name a few include development economics,  animal welfare and 

international peace and security.)

(UNLOCKED is a space for Sri Lankan youth to express their views and opinions on development with the aim of creating positive change in the world. The views expressed in the 

blogs are solely those of the authors. UNDP Sri Lanka and 

Daily FT do not represent or endorse the views expressed in these blogs. 

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initiative www.lk.undp.org).