Emphasising that the country needs to adopt an education system that would ensure Sri Lankans are equipped with the relevant knowledge to be on par with the rest of the world by the year 2030, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that a future government led by the NPP would introduce education reforms that will prevent students entering Grade 1 from dropping out midway while obtaining their education.
Speaking at a rally, he said that education is the main resource to build the country and that there is a correlation between poverty and illiteracy. Noting that 84% of those imprisoned over charges of various crimes have not studied up to the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level (O/L) and that 74% of people addicted to drugs have not studied up to Grade Eight, he said that there is also a correlation between education and the prevalence of crimes and the use of drugs. In order to find solutions to such issues, he said that the Government should focus mainly on the education sector and noted the lack of attention in that regard at present.
“The main plan of an NPP-led government is to improve education. Although there is no other country where people work hard to provide education to children as Sri Lanka, has it brought progressive results? Around 330,000 students are enrolled in Grade One every year and almost 30,000 of them drop out of school before sitting for the O/L Examination. They then become perpetrators of crime and get involved in drug-related issues. Only 11% of the students who enter Grade One qualify to enter a university. So, what is the need for an education system? The need is for a system where no child entering Grade One leaves midway while obtaining their education. This system will be established under an NPP-led government,” he added.
“For instance, we can appoint a particular number of officers from each Divisional Secretariat (DS) to be responsible for the schools in the relevant DS Divisions. Every class teacher should be given the relevant officer’s telephone number. If a particular child fails to attend school for three consecutive days, the class teacher should inform the officer. The relevant officer can then visit the child’s home to determine whether the child’s absence from school is due to an illness, an economic problem, a family problem, or some other issue. After looking into the situation, steps can be taken to ensure the child returns to school with the intervention of the relevant parties, including religious leaders.”
Speaking further, Dissanayake said that education is the main factor in the development of countries such as India and Singapore. He said that India identified the nature of education that is needed for its citizens in the 1990s and introduced the necessary educational reforms. As a result of that, he said that India is currently earning a massive income through Indians who are holding high positions in sectors such as information technology in foreign countries. He also said that Singapore has adopted an education system through which it has been able to make 78% of the students entering Grade One, degree or diploma holders. He added that an NPP government will also establish such a system and create citizens with knowledge needed by the world by 2030.