Friday Forum and State universities

Thanks to Jayantha Dhanapala, one of our most distinguished Ambassadors and a product of a State University, namely Peradeniya, the media has highlighted the statement made by The Friday Forum, which comprises some concerned citizens, in the form of an open letter to all heads of our State universities. As a concerned citizen of Mother Lanka, please permit me to reflect on the open letter.

What has been stated in that letter has to be seen primarily in the context of the 18th Amendment and certainly the erosion of the values of university education over the last many years.

Sadly the 18th Amendment which was passed hurriedly in the manner in which the recent bill on the takeover of private industries was passed has created the situation whereby the persons to whom this open letter has been addressed are all holding their positions at the discretion of the Executive President who appoints them.

Therefore, human beings being what we are tend to join the bandwagon and thereby create the situation which is the subject of this open letter. Having said this, one must not forget my second point, which is the erosion of the values of university education in Sri Lanka.

This could be traced to the time when State universities for various reasons ceased to be independent and autonomous primarily because of the factor of State funding. Since the State funds university education, the State tends to call the shots.

Some in the university system were able to withstand this but sadly many became subject to State tyranny. This was seen perhaps best in the 1970s when at Peradeniya dons from each faculty on that campus campaigned to overthrow the Government led by Sirimavo Dias Bandaranaike.

After having achieved their task these dons became part of the new establishment which makes the point that ultimately party politics control the system of university education. This can be seen very well today for many a university don of yesteryear now part of today’s Government of Sri Lanka are openly supporting the system  which is Sri Lanka today.

In this context it must not be forgotten that many of those who should be in the State university system today are either not in the country or not helping to uphold values in the university system of today in the country. They have their own reasons.

Where the students are concerned, it is only those who can’t leave the country and do not want to leave the country or do not have the wherewithal to enter private universities who are entering State universities. Most of these students are products of State education from Grade one to A/Ls. Hence they come from all parts of the country and with the reality that Sri Lanka is today and like all persons of their age, are involved in campus politics.

Sadly today’s campus politics are such that the students are being used by party politicians. In this context it, must not be forgotten that according to the recent Appropriation Bill, State education gets hardly anything and today’s Government with the main party being the one that won the 1956 elections and supported nationalisation at all levels is today for various reasons supporting private education. This can be seen when one follows the debate of the Private Medical College.

Therefore, while congratulating the Friday Forum for their timely intervention, it must be remembered that the problem is not as simple as it sounds. In fact if all of us in Mother Lanka today can own the problem stated in the open letter, then we can together solve, manage and handle the problem. Over to all those concerned about the state of today’s university education in our land.

Sydney Knight