‘Our tertiary education system needs urgent reforms’
December 09, 2021
– President emphasizes
- There is no reason why universities should only be state universities…
- The higher education sector in Sri Lanka should be converted into a foreign exchange revenue generator …
“There is a mismatch between the education generally on offer in Sri Lanka and what is necessary for our country to develop in the 21st Century. This is why I have constantly called for educational reforms, especially in our tertiary education system’’ said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa addressing the General Convocation of Sir John Kotelawala Defence University held at the BMICH, today (09).
‘I strongly believe that no matter the degree programme followed by university students, they must all graduate having gained at least some proficiency in information technology. They should also receive exposure to other skills necessary for success in today’s world, including critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and English language skills’ the President further said.
‘I am pleased to note that several of these reforms have already been implemented by our universities, and that more are to be introduced next year. One of the early accomplishments of my administration was increasing the number of places for students in universities throughout Sri Lanka by ten thousand’, President Rajapaksa added.
‘Even with this increase, however, there will still be thousands of students who cannot access university education in Sri Lanka despite passing their Advanced Level examinations. This is because there just isn’t enough capacity within the state university system to accommodate all qualifying students. We need to create more opportunities for our young people to study at universities in Sri Lanka.There is absolutely no reason why these universities should only be state universities. Almost all the best universities in the world are not state universities. Most are structured as independent self-governing entities, charitable institutions, or nonprofit organizations focused on education’, President Rajapaksa said.
‘The old objections about higher education institutions outside the state universities being education shops that sell degrees is nonsensical’, the President further said.
This was the 32nd General Convocation of Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.
One PhD Graduand, 227 Master’s Graduands and Postgraduate Diploma holders from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and 1180 Bachelor’s Degree holders from different faculties of KDU were among the 1408 graduands who received parchments at this year’s convocation.
President Rajapaksa presented special awards to Cadet Officer S.H. Rodrigo as the Best Army Officer, Lieutenant S.D Karunasena as the Best Naval Officer, Fg Off S.K.S. Rukshan as the Best Air Force Officer. The sword of Honour for the Best All-Round Performance of Intake 34 was awarded to Lt L.D.I. Liyanaarachchi.
The General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University was established in 1981 to meet the educational needs of the officers of the three Armed Forces. It was elevated into a fully-fledged University in 2009 by then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. In 2009, civilian students were granted the opportunity to study there. At present, members of the three Armed Forces and local and foreign students can pursue doctoral, postgraduate and postgraduate diploma courses at the University.
Kotelawala Defence University is currently a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the International Association of Universities as a world-recognized university.
Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Defence Secretary and Secretaries of other ministries, Chief of Defence Staff and Commanders of the Armed Forces, the Inspector General of Police, Director General of the Civil Defence Force and other Heads of the Security Sector, Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University General Gerard de Silva, Vice Chancellor Major General Milinda Peiris and the members of the academic and non-academic staff were also present.
Speech for the KDU General Convocation
Chancellor of the General
Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, General
Gerard de Silva ,
Hon. Ministers,
Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Other secretaries of Ministries,
Vice Chancellor Major General Milinda Pieris ,
High Commissioners and Ambassadors,
Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army,/ the Navy,/ and the Air Force,
Inspector General of Police,
Members of the Board of Management,
Members of the Academia ,
Distinguished Guests,
Parents and Graduates,
I am delighted to address you this afternoon at the General Convocation of the General Sir John Kotelawela Defence University.
I congratulate all students graduating at this event on their hard work during their studies and wish them all success in their future careers.
The General Sir John Kotalawela University is a unique institution in Sri Lanka.
Initially established to provide further training to officers in the Sri Lankan military, the KDU now offers many tertiary educational qualifications to civilians as well as Armed Forces personnel.
It also attracts students from overseas for several degree programmes.
Today, the General Sir John Kotelawela Defence University is reputed as one of Sri Lanka’s finest tertiary educational institutions, producing graduates who are extremely competent in their chosen disciplines.
The KDU’s graduates are renowned for their leadership skills, teamwork skills, integrity, and patriotism, and are in high demand amongst employers.
As those involved in this institution can attest, developing the KDU to become an institution of this stature was not without its challenges.
Even today, there are objections raised against the KDU by certain groups.
These groups want to undo the good work that has been done here over the years, which has already benefitted thousands of Sri Lankan students.
I do not understand this attitude, which has held back Sri Lanka’s education system for decades.
It is no secret that our country’s education system has not kept pace with the requirements of today’s world.
There is a mismatch between the education generally on offer in Sri Lanka and what is necessary for our country to develop in the 21st Century.
This is why I have constantly called for educational reforms, especially in our tertiary education system.
I strongly believe that no matter the degree programme followed by university students, they must all graduate having gained at least some proficiency in information technology.
At minimum, they should have had the opportunity to gain some experience in working with computers.
They should also receive exposure to other skills necessary for success in today’s world, including critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and English language skills.
I am pleased to note that several of these reforms have already been implemented by our universities, and that more are to be introduced next year.
I hope that these reforms will equip our university students with the skills and aptitudes they need in order to be productive citizens after they graduate.
An even larger problem concerning Sri Lanka’s education system, however, is its extreme capacity constraint.
One of the early accomplishments of my administration was increasing the number of places for students in universities throughout Sri Lanka by ten thousand.
Even with this increase, however, there will still be thousands of students who cannot access university education in Sri Lanka despite passing their Advanced Level examinations.
This is because there just isn’t enough capacity within the state university system to accommodate all qualifying students.
The consequences of this lack of university places are much wider than most people realise.
It has led to a constant narrowing of opportunities throughout the entire education system.
It has almost resulted in the system being designed with more intent to fail students than to help them succeed.
We see this in the large numbers who sit for their Ordinary Level examinations, but do not qualify to study at the Advanced Level.
We see this in the large numbers who travel abroad each year to obtain their university education in other countries.
Not only do the parents of these students incur a high cost by doing so, but the country loses valuable foreign exchange, and most worryingly, it is deprived of many outstanding young people who will most likely continue to live abroad instead of returning to Sri Lanka after graduation.
Students who have less affluent parents end up following various other courses, which may be taught in Sri Lanka but nevertheless do not provide the holistic education that universities do.
The majority simply drop out of further education altogether and end up taking whatever low paying jobs they can find.
Worst of all, because of the high esteem in which university education is held in our country, these students may feel like failures for years to come, if not for the rest of their lives.
Continuing with this cruel status quo is simply unacceptable.
We need to create more opportunities for our young people to study at universities in Sri Lanka.
There is absolutely no reason why these universities should only be state universities.
Almost all the best universities in the world are not state universities.
Most are structured as independent self-governing entities, charitable institutions, or nonprofit organizations focused on education.
There is absolutely no reason why such institutions cannot be established in Sri Lanka.
If the legal framework needs to be changed to make this possible, that can be done.
If traditional attitudes are preventing such institutions from being established, those must be strongly challenged.
The old objections about higher education institutions outside the state universities being education shops that sell degrees is nonsensical.
We need to think beyond this tired old rhetoric from a past era, which is being cynically used to limit opportunities for our young people.
If we do not do this now, many more generations of students will needlessly suffer because of these parochial attitudes.
I am not prepared to let this happen.
The fact that students may pay for their studies at universities established outside the public sector does not mean that those institutions sell degrees.
Objecting to the establishment of universities outside the public sector on such flimsy grounds is not just tragic; it is a crime.
It should be the role of the University Grants Commission to regulate and maintain the standard of all universities, irrespective of whether they are state funded or self-funded.
Furthermore, if any university that charges a fee does not maintain its quality, it will die an organic death in time anyway.
Students will not attend universities unlikely to give them opportunities in the job market after graduation.
As attendance drops off, any university that does not maintain its standards will cease to operate.
If anything, allowing the establishment of more universities in Sri Lanka will create more competition amongst such institutions for students at all levels as well as for lecturers and professors.
Those who object vehemently to the establishment of more universities in Sri Lanka lack confidence in their ability to succeed in such a competitive environment.
The sooner their objections are overcome, and these new opportunities are created, the better off our students and our country shall be.
If we have a diverse and competitive tertiary education system in Sri Lanka that goes beyond what is currently provided by state universities, it might even encourage students who can afford to study abroad, or those who win scholarships to universities in other countries, to remain here.
Establishing a freer environment for tertiary education in the country could also attract world class regional higher educational institutions into Sri Lanka, further enhancing the quality of education on offer here.
This will also help Sri Lanka attract students from regional countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and even from countries further away.
In time, this will transform higher education in Sri Lanka into a viable foreign exchange revenue generator for the economy.
It is unfortunate that Sri Lanka is already decades behind other countries in allowing this to happen.
However, it is still not too late to make this change.
This broad change in its higher education structure is exactly what Sri Lanka needs if it is to develop rapidly and become a prosperous nation in the future.
We must create new opportunities for our best and brightest without limiting ourselves to the status quo because of past practices, traditions, or outdated laws and regulations.
I hope that all of you present here today will understand this reality and do your best to support this change in time to come.
Let us all work together to build a better tomorrow for our country and for our future generations.
Thank you.
Courtesy - www.pmdnews.lk