Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
Wednesday Jan 08, 2025
Tuesday, 7 January 2025 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka must embrace a transformative approach to its higher education system
A recent flare up by the university students which appeared in the media is causing alarm about a possible new campaign to be started by student organisations against the establishment of private universities. This country has experienced such agitations over a long period of time emerging off and on. The agitators while opposing the setting up of any private university in the country categorically demonstrated their opposition to the Kotelawala Defence University now engaged in higher medical education. This sudden outburst after a long silence immediately arising in the wake of the formation of a new Government, the leaders of which were very much in control of the university student movement of the country, adds to the consternation.
This idea of allowing foreign universities to establish their affiliates and branches here was mooted several years ago but due to various conflicting views the matter remains unsettled to date. The concerned academics too were highly sceptical about the proposal to permit globally accepted foreign universities to take part in our education scenario. In such a context the possibility of some kind of instigation of the student movement too is strongly conjectured due to the previous experiences.
The gravity of the issues confronted by the policy makers and the resulting dilly dallying associated in this regard is seen by the number of Cabinet papers we have seen going up and down with varying observations being made by the Ministers based on official representations they received from the academics over a period extending well beyond a decade. When summed up it appears that a few bodies such as the University Grants Commission under whose purview the 16 State owned universities function, some political groups controlling the student unions and several dons of leading universities have played a main role in wielding their power to put the motion on hold.
Quality Assurance and Accreditation Bill
The last positive development we witnessed was the move to resubmit this long delayed draft enactment titled, “Quality Assurance and Accreditation Bill” designed to facilitate the granting of permission for private universities to operate in this country within an approved legal framework beside one another along with the State owned university network. The Draft Act went through several amendments over this long gestation period adding novel features and safeguards that the academics were concerned with. This long drawn process culminated into a point of ‘virtual no return’ towards the end of 2021, the period the then Minister of Higher Education took a keen interest on the matter.
A presentation outlining the proposal contents and clarifying the modus operandi prepared on invitation by a Professor Emeritus who also served as a Council member of the Asia Pacific Quality Register was availed to all important stakeholders. This session was followed by a Cabinet Paper for obtaining approval for submitting the “Quality Assurance and Accreditation” draft bill. Nevertheless the status quo continues to remain insurmountably.
This state has led to result in causing a significant impact on higher education. The country is under severe pressure to find a solution to the problem of thousands of students who are eligible, struggling to gain admission to universities. A cursory glance at the available information shows that during recent years out of a total number of approximately about 200,000 qualifying to gain admission, only about 40,000 stand a chance of getting selected to undergraduate courses of the higher educational institutions. This shows that about 60% of the eligible are denied university entrance every year. This pathetic situation if continued without a proper solution will lead to dire consequences developing into a social menace. This is a woeful situation to be allowed unattended.
The cumulative effect of this highly deplorable situation is the damage causing to the progress of the country while at the same time severely impeding the useful contribution of the educated youth for the country’s development.
According to available published information, Sri Lanka enjoy a strong bi-lateral relationship with Australia with education centrally covered under it. Australia is hosting over 12,000 Sri Lankan students who choose to study there in addition to about another 3,000 students studying Australian courses in Sri Lanka (2023 statistics).
Australian education authorities were keen to offer assistance to regularise this by participating in the education field here if operations can be conducted under a legally approved Higher Education Standards Framework in the line of the famous Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 {TEQSA}.
Migrating overseas to continue education
A large number of these admission denied students find ways and means to migrate overseas to continue their education heavily overburdening their parents most of whom cannot afford such additional expenditures. This exodus also has extremely negative consequences on our economy due to the draining of a HUGE amount in foreign exchange from the country. Sometimes the poor parents have to sell their only asset, the house and property they live in, to finance their children’s ambitions. Most parents don’t live to see their children graduating and supporting them in their old age. Many students who migrate for education have ended up as citizens elsewhere.
The fears and consternations of those who oppose the establishment of foreign universities which could accommodate the desolate students at a much lower cost appear to be frivolous and baseless. A total lack of information has made it easy for those interested parties to instigate agitations by misleading them and block this process of opening opportunities for everyone. Their main “red-herring” is to show that the Government is trying to privatise education.
Another fear infused into them is the possibility of different standards and the possible discriminatory treatment between the two degrees. They know nothing or very little about the effects of the standardisation process. The Higher Education Standards Framework is a globally recognised process which is accepted by educational authorities all over the world. This framework comprises: Standards under enacted laws of the country setting out mechanisms of standards and qualities using which the quality of education can be assessed, ensuring compliance with the provisions of the Act.
When we look at the details of TEQSA it would be seen that the education providers falling under the following categories come within the purview of this Act;
a) Institutes of higher education
b) University colleges
c) State universities
d) Overseas universities
This framework points towards another possible factor that hinders its success. Our local university system is governed by the UGC which is the ultimate body for monitoring the State universities. No doubt it wields enormous power and virtually serving as the monopolistic authority in the field. The birth of another enactment embracing and interfering with their work may be not to the liking of those at the helm of affairs there since such a step exposes the activities of our State university sector too to a more competitive environment amidst the foreign education systems and standards.
Realities of the sector
But we appeal to everyone to be a bit more concerned about the realities of the sector requiring proper assured standards in;
There are several important achievements elsewhere that we could emulate. The learning environment is one such area. It encompasses requirements and needs such as
The modern teaching patterns too are new experiences which address the meticulous designing of courses, resources and educational support and adequate staffing, etc.
A proper quality assurance system would be under a legal compulsion to monitor, implement and ensure these requirements, are fulfilled.
We have seen drastic changes brought about as a result of modifications effected in the fields of telecommunications, electrical services and even private medical care in this country. Let us move forward with the rest of the world and exploit our resourceful background, which no doubt is best suited in many respects compared to other destinations, to share the successful experiences enjoyed by human beings elsewhere freeing and extricating ourselves from the “frogs in the well” status before the end of this new year.
Sri Lanka must embrace a transformative approach to its higher education system. By opening avenues for private and foreign universities within a regulated framework, the nation can cater to its growing demand for quality education while retaining its talented youth. The long-term benefits—economic growth, reduced brain drain, and enhanced global competitiveness—far outweigh the initial challenges. It is imperative for all stakeholders to collaborate and move forward, leaving behind outdated fears and embracing global standards for a brighter future.
