Education a long ignored subject in the NCP

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

The education sector in the country has been riddled with many problems since the country gained independence in 1948, but the latest issue to impact on education is the conflict that is weighing heavily on the threatened villages in the North Central Province (NCP).

Issues related to threatened villages have plagued the province since the war broke out. Consisting of two poverty stricken districts - Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa - the NCP's education sector is suffering from many problems that need urgent attention.

One of the immediate problems that need a solution is the lack of teachers. A total number of 12,356 teachers educate a student population of 253,361 in the NCP.

It is learnt that in 2007, the NCP has only made two new teaching appointments (one for maths and the other for science) making the shortage of teachers in the province an obvious issue. Currently, the education sector in the NCP is in need of about 2,100 teachers.

Lack of teachers

The lack of teachers has even resulted in the closure of several schools in the province.

Apart from the shortage of teachers, students in the province also suffer due to the non-issue of school textbooks. A teacher from the Anuradhapura District said that 60% to 70% of the schools in the province had not received textbooks for this year even after the lapse of seven months.

The NCP is divided into eight education zones - Anuradhapura, Thambuthegama, Kekirawa, Galenbindunuwewa, Kebethigollewa, Polonnaruwa, Hingurakgoda and Dimbulagala. The present security situation in the country has had an adverse impact on the functioning of schools in two zones, namely Kebethigollewa and Dimbulagala.

Schools in the Dimbulagala zone however are now returning to normalcy following the liberation of the Eastern Province. According to the Dimbulagala zonal education office, about 93 schools in the area functioned earlier amidst fears of LTTE attacks.

Escalating violence

Students in the Kebethigollewa zone have had to bear the brunt of the escalating violence when the prevailing security situation in the country  compelled the closure of eight out of the 126 schools in the Kebethigollewa education zone.

According to statistics at the Provincial Education Office of the NCP, over 2,129 students were affected by the closure of schools in the zone.

It is also pertinent to note that most of the schools that had to close down were categorised as very difficult schools - Type 2 and 3.

Schools in the province have been categorised as - Type 1A/B (schools with Science, Arts and Commerce classes for A/Levels), Type 1C (schools with only Arts and Commerce classes for A/Levels), Type 2 (schools that have classes from Grade 1 to 8) and Type 3 (schools with only primary classes). The total number of schools in the province is 776.

During the past two years, six schools have been permanently shut down in the Kebethigollewa and Dimbulagala zones mainly due to security threats.

Lack basic facilities

Most of the schools categorised as very difficult schools located in the remotest corners of the province lack even basic facilities like electricity, water and toilets. About 100 schools in the NCP lack basic sanitary facilities and 80% of the schools do not have proper drinking water.

In most of the difficult schools, classes are conducted in cadjan sheds and in some instances students are left to study outdoors. The poor living conditions under harsh circumstances have prevented teachers from working in difficult schools located in the rural areas of the province.

The woes of the NCP education sector have been further compounded by the undue interference of politicians in teacher appointments.

Provincial Secretary, Ceylon Teacher Services Union, J.A. Weerakkody told The Sunday Leader that the politicisation of the education sector has resulted in the appointment of many unsuitable persons as teachers. He alleges it to be the reason for the Anuradhapura District  recording the lowest O/Level results in 2007.

He pointed out that while there was an excess of teachers in the two main cities - Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa - there was a massive shortage of teachers in the rural schools in the province.

Double up as teachers

In some instances, especially in the case of threatened villages, home guards have to double up as teachers as well. "I know a home guard who also teaches in a school in Vilachchiya due to the shortage of teachers," Weerakkody said.

He explained that the schools in the Dimbulagala zone were in need of 193 science teachers, but did not  have even 50 teachers at their disposal.

Weerakkody says that promotions that were to be made according to the 2005/4 and 2005/12 circulars have not been made. Also, the salaries that were to be paid according to the 6/2006/4 circular have not been granted to the teachers of the NCP.

"Political interference in the education sector has increased to such an extent that teachers are given the distress loans based on their political affiliations," Weerakkody charged.

However, the lack of political involvement in uplifting the education sector in the NCP has caused much distress among the students, teachers and even the parents who amidst many hardships struggle to provide a decent education to their children.

Koswatte promises a "a better society"

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

A youth leader with a desire to bring about a change in the present social structure, Chameera Koswatte is the JVP's chief ministerial candidate for the Sabaragamuwa Province at the August 23 provincial council elections.

Born on November 27, 1974, in Colombo, Koswatte is the eldest in the family with one younger brother and two sisters. Koswatte's mother is a retired teacher and his late father was a depot supervisor attached to the Sri Lanka Transport Board. Chameera is married with two children.

He received his education at Ananda College, Colombo. After sitting for his Advanced Level examination in 1993, Koswatte was selected to the Kelaniya University to follow a degree in Social Science in 1996. However, he could not complete his degree due to the many political responsibilities that were assigned to him, which he had carried out with great conviction.

Mainstream politics

Koswatte was in the A/Level class when he joined the JVP, as soon as the party entered mainstream politics in 1993. Although no one in his family was involved in politics, Koswatte's interest in politics came with his belief in the JVP ideology and his desire to 'do something good to society.'

His interest and belief in the JVP ideology along with the knowledge he had accumulated on the socialist movement made him take to politics.

Between the period 1990 and 1994, the JVP although not involved in active politics was engaged in holding literary festivals and promoting its ideology among the youth. Koswatte, an avid reader of Russian history and the revolution was interested in learning about the political ideologies that led to the socialist revolutions in the world.

During his school days, Koswatte had also read Carl Marx and was interested in his theories.

Also, Koswatte, at a very young age came into contact with many members of the JVP movement and he took up their cause. He felt that those members were working for a cause - to correct a flawed social structure and create a better tomorrow for all.

"It was I who went in search of the JVP and joined it," he says.

Koswatte's family however, could not understand why he desired so much to join the JVP, especially due to the risk it posed to his life.

Making the right choice

No one could prevent Koswatte from joining the JVP. According to Koswatte, his family had trusted him and given him the freedom to make his choice.

"My family after meeting several members of the party and hearing their views understood that I had made the right choice and is now very supportive of my work," Koswatte says.

After joining the party while in school, he entered active politics in 2001.

While at university, Koswatte was elected as president of the Social Science Faculty Students' Union.

A firm believer that youth in the country need a place in society as well as respect, Koswatte feels that the potential of the present day youth have not been used for the country's development process.

"It is talent gone waste and the youth cannot be blamed for it. They need to be given a chance to be part of the country's development process," he says.

He feels that instead of looking at the present day youth with a narrow mind, they should be given a broader space to harness their talents to bring out the best in each individual.

In 2000, he was elected convener of the Inter University Students Federation, a post he held even the following year in 2001. With his appointment as convener of the federation, Koswatte gave up his studies and engaged himself in full time politics. The conviction he had for bringing about change in the present social structure overtook his need to receive a university degree.

Due recognition was given to Koswatte for his commitment in carrying out the work allotted to him, and in 2002 he was appointed national organiser of the Socialist Students Union at its convention. He was reappointed to the post on March 19, 2008.

On November 13, 2002, Koswatte was appointed to the JVP's main decision-making body, the Central Committee, at the party's national convention. He became one of the youngest members to be appointed to the central committee at the time. At the party's national convention held this year, Koswatte was reappointed to the JVP's Central Committee.

He has worked in the party's international division as well. He was named a national list member of the JVP in 2004.

To create a better society

Being a youth leader with a vision to create a better society that gives more opportunities to the youth, Koswatte has also represented Sri Lanka at the annual international summit organised by the World Federation of Democratic Youth based in Budapest, Hungary since 2001.

The World Federation of Democratic Youth works to uphold democracy, youth welfare and world peace.

In 2003, he was elected to the federations' highest executive body and was reappointed to the post in 2005. Koswatte was in-charge of the Asia Pacific region.

He feels that he has done his maximum to bring about a change in Sri Lankan society and speaks of the need to give more responsibilities to the youth in international fora.

Koswatte feels that he has carried out every responsibility entrusted to him by the party. It is this same sincerity that led him to accept the party's decision to nominate him as the JVP's chief ministerial candidate for the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council election scheduled for August 23.

Decisive moment

"It is now a very decisive moment for the country and I will act according to the responsibilities entrusted to me by the party's central committee. No matter what the responsibility is, I will carry it out to the best of my ability," he says.

The need of the hour, according to Koswatte is a change in the present social system and to build a better society based upon it.

However, he feels that the present provincial council system established under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution is not the answer to the ethnic problem.

Koswatte firmly stands by his party's stance that they do not accept the present provincial council system. However, since the provincial council election has been called, he says as a democratic party, the JVP would contest the elections.

Koswatte says that the need to bring about a change that would benefit the people and the country would be given prominence in his election campaign.

He feels that the JVP has led by example, especially in the manner in which the party has managed the Tissamaharama Pradeshiya Sabha and the four ministries handled by JVP in 2004 under the UPFA government.

"We have done our best whenever we have been given the chance and this time too we would do the same with the provincial councils," Koswatte says, adding that "this is the best time to make a difference."

Violence and misuse of state property

By Arthur Wamaman

Incidents of election violence could be much higher than what is reported by monitors as some incidents go unreported, election monitors claim.

Election violence according to them dipped last week. This according to the monitors is not a downward trend but purely a case of incidents going unrecorded.

Officials attached to People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said that many instances of pre-election violence were not reported to the monitors. There have been differences in statistics given by different monitors since nominations were filed.

PAFFREL had so far received only two complaints of state property being misused whereas the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) had recorded 28 by Friday.

CAFFE had also released photographs of state vehicles used for election campaigning and had complained in writing to the Elections Commissioner.

The Election Commissioner's Department when contacted by The Sunday Leader stated that the candidates contesting the provincial council polls had been instructed not to use state property for campaigning activities.

According to CAFFE Spokesperson Keerthi Tennekoon, a total of 40 complaints were recorded by Friday, a breakdown of which is as follows: Anuradhapura (21), Polonnaruwa (4), Kegalle (10) and Ratnapura (5). In addition, there are 28 incidents of misuse of state property.

According to PAFFREL, the majority of these complaints have been reported from Anuradhapura (14) followed by Kegalle (7), Ratnapura (5) and Polonnaruwa (3).

Several opposition politicians contesting the upcoming provincial council elections, CAFFE claimed, have been threatened or intimidated.

It was alleged that the police had also threatened supporters and contestants in Ratnapura last week, according to CAFFE with Tennekoon alleging police inaction in investigating complaints, removal of posters and banners in the four districts.

But PAFFREL opted to defend the police claiming they were doing their duty to the maximum, though drawbacks existed.

There are nearly 1,600 contestants and it is very difficult for the police to remove banners and posters everywhere. But they have done their job, PAFFREL said.

As for international monitors, PAFFREL Chairman, Kingsley Rodrigo said that there was no need to bring them down, as the situation was not as complex as in the eastern PC polls.

The presence of armed cadres and the fact that the polls were conducted for the first time since 1994 were the reasons to bring down international monitors, he said.

Ratnapura needs disaster management plan

By Nirmala Kannangara

The City of Gems - Ratnapura - now enjoys the dubious reputation of being one of the most disaster prone districts in the country with both natural and man-made disasters plaguing the city.

According to the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau and the Disaster Management Centre, all possible steps have been taken to minimise the man-made disasters although the natural disasters are now rendering it vulnerable.

"We have taken appropriate measures to reduce man-made disasters but are unable to minimise natural disasters. However, there is a programme to reduce the inconvenience caused to the people in the Ratnapura District," Ratnapura District Coordinator, Disaster Management Centre, Col. Priyankara Abeyratne told The Sunday Leader.

According to Abeyratne apart from land and mudslides, floods, droughts and elephant attacks too are common in the district and plans have been drawn to reduce the elephant-human conflict with the help of the Department of  Wildlife.

Elephant threats

"One death was reported recently in Kalawana due to an elephant attack and since Kalawana is the border of the Sinharaja rain forest, elephant threats to the border villages have increased during the past few years," added Abeyratne.

However according to Abeyratne the regular drought conditions in Weligepola, Balangoda and Imbulpe in the Ratnapura District have compelled the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) to provide a fuel subsidy to distribute drinking water to the people.

"In 2007 alone the DMC provided Rs.300,000 as fuel subsidy to water supply bowsers and Water Mission, an American NGO.  This NGO has donated a water purification project worth Rs. 3 million to Kiriella. More than 30,000 litres of water could be purified per day and this has helped us immensely in providing purified drinking water to the drought stricken areas," Abeyratne stated. Water Mission is to provide five more water purification plants to the Ratnapura District.

With regard to the land and mudslides, Abeyratne said awareness programmes are being held regularly and early warning centres notify people of impending natural disasters.

Landslides

"In Kolonne, landslides are very common. These centres warn villagers to be vigilant during the monsoons. If the rain fall is over 80 ml, we warn them to evacuate the high risk areas and to reach safer places."

According to Abeyratne more than Rs.2 million has been allocated to construct two new safety bridges in the district and to lay concrete on the by-roads to ensure a quick and safe evacuation.

"The Ratnapura District DMC was set up one and a half years ago and the regional operations centre has deployed nine assistant coordinators in all AGA divisions. We have started awareness programmes for school children as well as adults on precautionary measures," he added.

According to the Ratnapura District DMC statistics,  Rs.7 million has been spent on evacuation and providing relief to the victims in 2007. An estimated Rs.14 million has been allocated for 2008, which provides for the construction of a better road network in many high-risk areas.

However Scientist, National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), Kumari Weerasinghe noted political interference in the Sabaragamuwa Province has contributed to the increasing man-made disasters over the years.

Sand and gem mining

"In the Sabaragamuwa Province illegal sand removal and gem mining have become a big issue. NBRO receives about five complaints each week. Although we apprehend culprits, politicians intervene to have them released," she lamented.

The NBRO has provided all the District and Divisional Secretariats the maps of landslide prone areas to coordinate their work.

Among the many reasons for landslides are the clearing of jungles and tea bushes and improper land utilisation for construction.

"Although the NBRO has requested people to consult their respective grama sevaka or Divisional Secretaries before undertaking any construction work, their failure to abide by the regulations has resulted in disasters," Weerasinghe added.

"A few months ago President Mahinda Rajapakse as the Chairman, National Disaster Management Council urged people to obtain  NBRO clearance regarding future constructions in landslide prone areas in the country. The government's failure to get cabinet and parliamentary approval to implement it is causing problems," added Weerasinghe.

SAARC - Much ado about nothing

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

A visiting Indian journalist, standing outside the BMICH waiting for his hotel car to fetch him was heard commenting, "It looks like a road show." meaning that the roads were cleared as if there was to be a road show. The Grand Prix, perhaps. After all, Colombo for the past week was fly free, dog free, poor free, in part.

The Rs.2,800 million plus plus non event or the regional talk shop concludes today after keeping a nation very tense, feeling insecure, their movements restricted and with the people down Glennie Street and stray dogs, having had their rights violated.

As the event concludes, people will probably heave a collective sigh of relief as they resume their normal life, and security personnel, for managing to dispatch Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh safely back to Mother India.   

Yet, whatever the logic in presenting a perfect city picture, should baffle the mind of any rational thinker. It is a given that all SAARC countries are poor, though three out of the eight nations do not share the dubious record of Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka - of veering towards failed state status.

Concealing poverty

Yet what reason is there to conceal signs of poverty, but to address them? If the poor are to be shunned, then the political leadership should turn the search light inwards and realise that the increasing poverty is their own creation - it is poor governing skills that cause mass migration to cities and the stretching of resources beyond capacity.

If the sight of poor people is such an eye sore, then the Sri Lankan government should have prioritised poverty at the discussion level instead of driving thousands away from their homes.

Then, for some of us who covered the 14th SAARC Summit at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, India, this summit is a virtual nightmare. The local event honestly, has been a monumental disaster albeit a massive spender.

From the security checks to being escorted to the venue, Indians were thorough. What they did not do was try the media personnel's patience. Once cleared they trusted their system.

Here at the BMICH, suspicious looks were cast towards security-cleared journalists who did not wear the special 'SAARC ID.' What's more, at the entrance, there is a further bar code check on ID and entrance is denied if the machine refuses to blink. What are we to assume but a grand fear of failure of the security system in place?

A comparison

To begin with a comparison, the pre summit discussions in India were of a much higher level. The media briefings were much more professional and well informed. Indian bureaucrats and the politicians gave the journalists their daily bread - stories by the dozen. Here, the summit spokesman only mumbled about declarations in the pipeline, that too in bad English and gave no details.

On issues like climate change, a concern amongst Maldivian and Bangladesh journalists, he appeared nonplussed. Are we to assume that our politicians spent their time and money to dye their hair and hurriedly purchase Armani suits?

The apparent truth was that not just the media briefings but also the conference itself was dismal. Of course there were grandiose statements about a special declaration on food security, energy and water resources coupled with combating regional terrorism to be adopted by the member states. Our spokesperson could not give a basic clue as to the ingredients of the declaration. At least where the focus was.

It is only fair to demand as citizens that the immense expenditure incurred and the inconveniences suffered should justify the conference. To be lavish is one thing but this talk shop of South Asia has refused to move from planning stage to implementation stage for 15 long years.

For example, President Mahinda Rajapakse made an impressive speech in Delhi last year and mooted that the region should move towards adopting a common currency. Given the rate at which the Sri Lankan rupee depreciates, he may have thought that it would be the best way to contain the slide but talk to any SAARC associated Sri Lankan official; that idea just died where it germinated. 'NATO' do we say? - No Action Talk Only.

Grand schemes

Given the many grand schemes discussed, it is not cynical but realistic to consider these proposals not worth the paper they are written on.

Then what happened to the proposed easy movement across regional borders? The matter is still 'under discussion' despite being mooted years ago. Only Sri Lanka, Maldives and Nepal show respect to their neighbours by issuing on arrival visa. What has SAARC collectively helped the member countries to gain?

In the Dhaka Declaration in December 1985, the heads of state happily conceded that these countries of South Asia were faced with formidable challenges due to abject poverty, under-development, unemployment and population booming. They felt that regional cooperation provided a logical response to these problems.

Some 14 years down the line, SAARC added an eighth member - Afghanistan. Geographically, there are some questions about this inclusion but poverty appears to be the binding link.  So Afghanistan is also added but collectively, SAARC is far from realising its goal. The summit now is like a regional get together, an impressive photo op at public expense.

What's more, more often than not, the nations fail to reach a consensus on many issues and most agreements are signed on a bilateral basis. There is no denying the undercurrents and diplomatically covered hostility between India and Pakistan that threatens SAARC's ability to become an achiever.

Reflection and soul searching

Fifteen years later, it really should be a time for reflection and soul-searching.

As we do that, let us also not lose sight on the local cost. The heartache down Glennie Street to beautify the city despite all SAARC nations carrying the burden of poverty and the increasing poverty is a reflection of the imprudence of the regional leadership, and nothing else.

Let us not forget that the 15th SAARC also meant loss of homes not just to people living in Glennie Street but also to the canine kind. Can we make Colombo resemble Singapore and wish the war away?

Let us also not forget the losses to the many business houses and the colossal loss caused to seven Colombo hotels amounting to over Rs.190 million. When the balance sheet is done, there will be more losses than gains and immense hardships silently suffered by penalised civilians.

There were many laughs that Sri Lanka inspired.  Government ministers all spruced up appeared before dozens of cameras every evening with some like Nimal Siripala de Silva boasting how safe the island is. He was busy scoffing at the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire.

Does it mean that he and his government felt so secure in their security measures that there was no room for the Tigers to strike at will? Then why the mounted Indian gunships? Why the road closures that kept people indoors for precious hours?

While the Colombo administration may not want to trust the LTTE and its unilateral ceasefire, why could it not at least accept the fact that the Tigers, having assassinated an  Indian Prime Minister understands the international requirement to play it safe?  Instead, our ministers sounded like little children speaking angrily when not having the upper hand. There is no need to say as to who has the upper hand when striking at will.

Comedy of errors

 SAARC began with a comedy of errors - dubiously famous Labour Minister Mervyn Silva welcoming the seven nations to Colombo's summit. Like Silva himself, his hoarding too was a mistake as it welcomed dignitaries for the "17th SAARC Summit." Silva may be two years ahead of time, but where would Sri Lanka be in two years having ill afforded this mega bucks event to show that milk and honey flowed here in the emerald isle?

And what would SAARC be in the years to come, unless the heads of state at least make an honest attempt to raise it to the implementation level from the annual gathering and a photo opportunity in which Indian and Pakistani leaders don't even appear close to each other?