• Educators call for authorities to identify reform priorities and ensure students’ physical and mental wellbeing   

“Will Sri Lanka’s education sector get back on its feet in 2023?” is a question many have raised in the same way the people are looking towards the revival of all sectors that have been affected by the economic decline. However, this is a question that concerns not only one sector or a segment of the population, but pertains to a plethora of the country’s affairs, including the very economic situation that weakened the education sector.

The country is about to enter a new year with an education sector, especially schoolchildren and teachers, that faced unprecedented challenges in 2022. On the one hand, challenges stemming from the economic crisis further weakened the education sector that had already been weakened by the Covid-19 pandemic-related developments, and on the other hand, new challenges such as the alleged increase in drug use among schoolchildren have sparked fears among schoolchildren and their parents. According to education authorities, they are planning to address many of these issues through various projects and reform-based programmes slated to be launched in 2023.

Education sector reforms to come

During the past few months, education authorities announced plans to introduce several initiatives to reform the education sector. 

One such interesting plan announced recently is the pilot project to promote mindfulness in schools, which involves supporting schoolchildren to focus on controlling their minds, thoughts, and goals, while also managing stress. Education Minister Attorney Dr. Susil Premajayantha announced that with effect from January 2023 onwards, 10 minutes between 7.30 a.m. and 7.40 a.m. would be allocated to this programme on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Religious leaders of different religions are to be assigned to oversee the implementation of this programme. One of the reasons for this programme was the stress caused to children in the recent past and also the drug menace that has posed a threat to children.

Another plan announced by the Education Ministry aims to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) as a school subject from Grade Eight onwards and make information technology (IT) a compulsory subject in the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (GCE A/L) Exam. According to Dr. Premajayantha, although this plan was to be implemented with a focus on the Grade 10 syllabus, after taking into account the increasing demand for AI-related knowledge, it had been decided to include this subject in the Grade Eight syllabus.

The Morning’s attempts to contact the Ministry to discuss education sector reforms planned for 2023 were unsuccessful. However, media outlets had reported that education authorities intend to reform the prevailing exam-centric education system and implement several reforms targeting the school syllabi. At the same time, plans are afoot to promote IT literacy through internet and IT-focused learning and teaching methods, creativity, and communication. 

Identifying priority reforms 

However, according to teachers, reforms in the education sector and various programmes pertaining to the same should prioritise present-day challenges faced by schoolchildren, parents, and teachers. 

A teacher attached to a public school in the Colombo District, speaking to The Morning on the condition of anonymity, said that education authorities should deviate from traditional education reforms for the time being, given the impacts of the economic downturn on schoolchildren. She suggested that ensuring schoolchildren’s wellbeing in the midst of the economic crisis should be a part of all reforms that are to be implemented in the coming few years. 

“We bring in reforms because either there is some issue that needs to be addressed or there is something that needs to be improved. At the moment, the biggest issues that need to be addressed are the threat of malnutrition among schoolchildren and the unbearable prices of stationery. We cannot ignore them saying that they are short-term issues that stem from the economic crisis, because it will take years for the economic crisis to end or for schoolchildren, parents, and teachers to completely adjust to the challenges posed by the economic crisis. Therefore, alleviating the impacts of these issues should be a part of upcoming education sector reforms.”

Speaking of the reforms announced by education authorities recently, she added that given the limited financial resources available for the education sector, education authorities should postpone reforms that are not urgent and direct monetary resources to more pressing needs. 

“Steps such as changing the school curricula should be postponed. Ensuring that children have books and pens as well as something to eat is way more important than changing what is being taught to them,” she opined, adding that if children are not in a good psychological and physical state to study, no reform will bear fruit and that there needs to be a national level discussion on what should be prioritised through reforms and what reforms should be prioritised. 

Meanwhile, speaking of the necessary reforms in the education sector, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin stressed that the sector should be subjected to a broad reform process that covers the entire sector, and that minor reforms that look into certain aspects of the sector would not bring about considerable changes. He told The Morning that these necessary reforms should focus on changing the existing exam-centric education system. 

He added: “These minor reforms are not successful. Given the stressful situation schoolchildren are in the current context, what is necessary is doing away with the exam-centric education system, as it causes stress in schoolchildren. The reforms we truly need should include replacing this exam-centric education system with a skills-centric education system. Children not having adequate knowledge is another major issue that needs to be addressed. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, schools were not conducted properly, and exams were postponed. However, teaching activities continue to target exams. The existing syllabi are too heavy, and they too have to change into flexible syllabi.”

In addition, he expressed concerns about education authorities’ plans to introduce new reforms despite the fact that certain reforms that were announced in the recent past have not been implemented. In addition, he criticised teachers and school principals for not being a part of certain reforms that are being contemplated by education authorities.

Reforms targeting teacher-student relationship, mental wellbeing

In addition to academic activities-related reforms in the education sector, the necessity of reforms aimed at changing teaching methods, or the manner in which teachers deal with schoolchildren, attracted widespread attention during the past few months. This concern emerged after several incidents of teachers and school administrations attached to public schools mistreating schoolchildren were reported and videos of such were circulated on social media platforms. 

In one major incident that occurred last month, it was alleged that a teacher and a school principal attached to a public school physically assaulted several Grade Five students on the suspicion that the children had stolen a purse belonging to the said teacher, and that these children were physically and verbally assaulted by the Police after they were handed over to them. 

In another incident, in which a video was widely shared on social media platforms, a school principal was seen forcing several schoolchildren to use their tongues and mouths to clean the food that had been spilt on a desk. The seriousness of these allegations and the public furore regarding the same resulted in several investigations by several authorities, and many wanted reforms in the education sector with a focus on disciplining teachers and school administrations.

According to Stalin, teachers mistreating schoolchildren is an area that has already been covered by various circulars issued by education authorities, and therefore, what needs to happen in this regard is ensuring the strict implementation of those regulations and raising awareness among teachers regarding the same. 

“There are circulars that were issued in 2016 and 2005, which clearly say that schoolchildren cannot be punished physically. Raising awareness among teachers about this matter is crucial, and we do not approve of such forms of punishment within the school system which has to change. We acknowledge that children too have rights.”

Stalin further expressed concerns about the acts of a few teachers and members of school administrations leading to these concerns and added that education authorities should be more vigilant about this matter than they are now. 

In addition, speaking of the same, the abovementioned teacher pointed out that the age gap between school teachers and schoolchildren is one of the reasons for the continuation of corporal punishments within the school system. Given the stressful situations undergone by both schoolchildren and teachers, she added that it is high time to make schools safer, more understanding and more comfortable environments. 

She further said: “Schoolchildren are already going through extremely stressful situations. Some of them do not have enough to eat, some do not have money to purchase books, and some are psychologically affected by issues within their families, including those caused by the prevailing economic situation. In this context, schools should be places where children feel safe, at least for the few hours that they spend in schools, and if the stress experienced by teachers affects schoolchildren, who are also in stressful situations, this is an unfair situation.”

In this context, she opined that it is crucial for reforms in the education sector to pay attention to empowering schoolchildren and teachers psychologically and to achieve that, it is necessary to strengthen and expand psychosocial support that is available for the two groups.