Colombo University - Accessibility to a Bachelor’s degree should be broadened due to large numbers of qualified students seeking higher education.

The Government has seemingly decided to embark on further liberalising the higher education sector along a patchwork process commenced in 1978, getting the private sector to provide higher education. As has been argued, universities must play a dual role in their mission: creation and dissemination of knowledge as the primary mission, and training of skilled workers as the secondary mission.
But there can also be higher education institutes for the purpose of training skilled workers. The attempt of the government appears to have been to allow those who are able to pay, to buy higher education, by widening the options available to seekers of higher education. Accessibility for bachelor’s degrees should be broadened as there are a large number of qualified students seeking higher education. However, public universities will never be able to fully provide higher education for all due to public funding shortages. So, part of the seekers, at least those who are able to pay, need to be allowed to buy higher education.
For the purpose of widening the higher education options, the country needs to choose an appropriate model. However, the government has still not made it clear to the people of Sri Lanka the kind of model that it has planned to introduce by reforming the existing state university system. Three different models are available for the policymakers. They are: for-profit private universities, non-profit public universities, and not-for-profit public and private universities. First, since the introduction of free university education, Sri Lanka practised a non-profit public university system. Internal undergraduate education was fully funded by the state initially. Since 1978, universities in Sri Lanka have been allowed to sell postgraduate degrees and diplomas, undergraduate diplomas and certificates through external mode in diverse fields. These provisions allowed universities to recover part of their cost while broadening their mission in higher education. In some countries however, there are non-profit private universities which operate through various income generating activities including tuition fees. Revenue sources are donations and tuition fees. In this system, the expenditure always exceeds revenue so that the huge expenditure gap is financed by the state. The second model is the not-for-profit private or public universities. In this system, universities charge tuition and other fees from students meaning that students pay to get a postgraduate or undergraduate degree/diploma. Other revenue sources are donations and government funds. However, the net revenue (revenue minus expenditure) is not distributed as dividends or profits to the owners or shareholders. The net revenue is, in fact, reinvested as scholarships, fellowships, chair professorships, quality improvement activities, and subsidies to the needy etc. The third model is a system of traditional for-profit universities. The objective of for-profit higher education institutes is to make profits which are subsequently distributed among owners and/or shareholders. So, a for-profit university/institute is similar to any manufacturing firm producing goods such as sausages and garments etc. I will try to analyse the system of universities in the United States by way of understanding how each of these models has worked. In order to analyse the feasibility of different models of higher education, I will examine the U.S. system of universities which is one of the best university systems in the world.
The US example
In the United States, there are three types of universities, public non-profit/not-for-profit universities, private non-profit/not-for-profit universities and private for-profit universities. Approximately 2,200 colleges and universities offer bachelors degrees in the U.S. Although more than two-thirds of these are private non-profit institutions, the majority of students attend public universities. The smallest percentage of students attends for-profit private higher education institutes in the U.S. In the fall of 2007, there were 15 million students enrolled in degree-granting undergraduate programmes in the U.S. Nearly 80 percent of these students were studying at public universities, which are known as state universities in the U.S, that were founded and operated by state governments. Every U.S. state has at least one public university, and the largest states have more than thirty. In the non-profit/not-for-profit universities, needy students are either subsidised or exempted from fees. A large number of scholarships are available for students from within the state. More affluent students pay for their higher education while the poor and the middle class get free education to a large extent. There are not-for-profit private universities in the U.S. This model has enhanced the freedom of choice of higher education in the U.S. Not-for-profit public and private universities have also encouraged a lively competition among public and private institutions for the best students and the best academic staff. That competition promotes a high level of quality in education and scholarship. Competition also creates strong incentives for institutions to be rigorously self-critical in periodic assessments of their curriculum and performance.
State-owned universities
State owned universities which are fully funded by the state, possess inherent impediments for university governance thereby reducing academic freedom and independent scholarship. However, autonomous not-for-profit public and private universities can enhance academic freedom thereby strengthening creative and critical thinking. Not-for-profit system of public and private universities in the U.S. has significantly improved university governance. Since universities are not completely relying on government funds, financial freedom exists for taking innovative decisions. As a result of private not-for-profit universities, public universities have also been strengthened and protected from undue political influence on matters such as curriculum and staff appointments, and ensured that the universities, both public and private, remain bastions of independent, creative thinking.
In the model of not-for-profit universities, charities and endowments are performing a central role in the financial health. This is one of the salient features of  most of the U.S. universities. Without depending too much on government funds, most universities have established endowment funds, created through donations. This is one of the leading financial sources of spending in the universities of the United States. The size of endowments in U.S. universities is huge. In 2010, the endowment of Harvard University was about USD 27.5 billion, of Yale University was about USD 16.6 billion, of Princeton University was about USD 14.3 billion, and the University of Texas at Austin was about USD 14 billion. Endowments represent money or other financial assets that are donated to universities or colleges. The sole intention of the endowment is to invest it, so that the total asset value will yield an inflation-adjusted principle amount, along with additional income for further investments and supplementary expenditures. Colleges and universities are frequently controlling an endowment fund that funds a significant portion of the operating or capital requirements of the institution. In addition to a general endowment fund, each university also controls a number of restricted endowments that are intended to fund specific areas within the institution. The most common examples are endowed professorships, endowed fellowships and endowed scholarships.
Often Alumni of universities contribute to the endowment of the bulk of the capital. An endowed professorship (or endowed chair) is a position permanently paid for with the revenue from an endowment fund specifically set up for that purpose. The position is designated to be in a certain department of study. The donor is allowed to name the position. Endowed professorships aid the university by providing an academic staff member who does not have to be paid entirely out of the operating budget of the university, allowing the university to either reduce its student-to-staff ratio, a statistic used for university rankings and other institutional evaluations, and/or direct money that would otherwise have been spent on salaries toward other university needs. An endowed scholarship is tuition (and possibly other costs) assistance that is permanently paid for with the revenue of an endowment fund specifically set up for that purpose. It can be either merit-based or need-based depending on university policy or donor preferences. The amount of money that must be donated to start an endowed scholarship vary greatly. Fellowships are similar, although they are most commonly associated with postgraduate students and visiting scholars. In addition to helping with tuition, they may also include a stipend. Fellowships with a stipend may encourage students to work on a doctorate. Frequently, teaching or working on research is a mandatory part of a fellowship or scholarship.
There are a small percentage of for-profit universities and colleges in United States. Only about ten percen of total undergraduate student population is enrolled in these universities/colleges. Even in the United States, for-profit model has not been feasible. Bloomberg reported on May 27,  that costs in for-profit universities exceed their non-profit or not-for-profit peers. It was reported that the average cost of attending a four year bachelor’s degree in for-profit university surpassed expenses at both U.S. state and private non-profit/not-for-profit universities.  Fulltime student paid an average of USD 30,900 annually at the for-profit university in 2007/2008 academic year, almost double the USD 15,000 average paid at the public universities, according to the U.S. Department of Education. American Congress has been investigating costs and students’ debt burdens at for-profit colleges, which get as much as 90 percent of their revenue from federal student grants and loans. Default rates among former students at for-profit universities soared to 15.2 percent, the biggest rise in the higher education field. Based on historical experience, there is a consensus among policymakers in the U.S. that the for-profit model is not feasible for higher education sector. A large number of higher education institutes that emerged over the last few decades in Sri Lanka offering various diplomas, certificates, and foreign degrees appear to have been established as for-profit private institutes.
For-profit model
However, the for-profit model is very profitable for investors as well as the academia. Though the vice chancellor/president of non-profit or not-for-profit universities in the U.S. are paid high salaries, for-profit peers received even higher pays. The President/Vice Chancellor of Harvard University, Lawrence H. Summers (a reputed economist), was paid about USD 595,871 in the 2004-2005 academic year. During the same academic year, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President, Shirley Ann Jackson, was paid USD 983,365, University of Pennsylvania President, Amy Gutmann, was paid USD 767,030, Columbia University President, Lee C. Bollinger, was paid USD 685,930, and the Vanderbilt’s President, E. Gordon Gee, was paid USD 1.17 million. Apollo Group’s (the biggest for-profit college operator in the U.S.), CEO received USD 6.75 million and the President/Vice Chancellor of the University of Phoenix received USD 1.8 million as take home salaries, for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Policymakers may wonder why professors in local state universities do not aspire to get these high salaries by allowing the government to adopt the for-profit model. They may be thinking that academics in the state universities would prefer high perks than choosing a collective bargaining action demanding higher salaries. However, it is the altruistic motive of academics that has encouraged them to demand higher salaries and protect the non-profit university system rather than supporting a for-profit private university system. Though a better salary is a must, academics are not much concerned about maximising their own welfare. They are more concerned about maximising social welfare because a larger part of the population in Sri Lanka, the students of the poor and the middle class, will be unable to undergo higher education under a fee-paying system as they are unable to pay, if the for-profit model is adopted. So, current trade union action of the FUTA is highly motivated by altruism rather than self-interest/selfishness.
Given economic, social, and political principles/imperatives governing Sri Lankan society, the appropriate model for Sri Lanka appears to be either a system of non-profit public and private universities or a system of not-for-profit public and private universities. If Sri Lankan society is more concerned about economic/social equality and humanity than mere economic rationality of higher education, it may prefer a system of not-for-profit public universities and not-for-profit public-private partnership universities. It is true that ‘economic justifications’ for a free university education is not very strong, Sri Lankan society may not let ‘economists’ or more specifically ‘neo-liberal economists’ or their thinking and theories to decide the future of higher education. Historical, social, political, cultural and humanitarian values should be considered as crucial in determining the future of free university education.

Students of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya

The Holy Family Convent (HFC) in Bambalapitiya is not just another leading school noted for producing top sports champions, major corporate and public sector professionals and a girls’ school that everyone wants their children to attend, but today, an unspoken achievement is the fact that they have charitable hearts.
The school has a programme called ‘Familian Outreach’ which aims at reaching out to different sections of the community and fulfill needs identified within those groups. Ever since the programme started in 2002, Familians everywhere have joined hands and united their hearts to drive a cause that is truly worth paying tribute to.

According to the school’s Principal, Chandani Jayasuriya, “Generally a school or a village is identified on request by a nun of HFC who works at the school or in the area, and the Outreach Programme provides the identified needs of the school — sometimes stationery or other educational items. We also conduct grade five and O/L workshops and we aid in teaching English.”

In 2010, HFC worked with children in the Dharmapuram IDP camps housing those displaced by the last stages of the conflict. Due to an urgent demand from parents, the Convent staff conducted workshops for grade five scholarship candidates. “In such cases staff from the school and children who are members of Familian Outreach travel to these schools,” the Principal said.

In December last year, the school received a request from a school in Nachikudah in Kilinochchi for assistance. In response they donated complete book sets for 415 students, all of who resettled after the war, and a generator and computer.

“This year the school is assisting the Maduruketiya Kanishta (Senior) School in Moneragala. This project will assist the school to hold a sports meet as it has never held one before. A full set of musical band equipment, costumes and all other equipment required for a sports meet will be donated while students and teachers of HFC will work to train the school staff and pupils to make the event successful. “Musical equipment was also donated to a blind school in Thanamalwila on a special request.”

The Outreach Programme is funded by the students and school, of which about 180 students between the ages of 11 and 18 are members. “We are happy to help in the  little way we can as it’s not all about achievements and successful careers but also about contributing to society,” said a member of the Programme.

Funds/resources for the Outreach projects are raised within the school; members contribute an annual fee which is relatively small and also hold food fiestas and other activities to raise funds. Nagaratnam Wijekanthan, one of the teachers handling the programme  said, “There is very good response to calls for donations, and student involvement is very high.” Members of the Outreach Programme hope to stage a public show (for parents) this year to raise funds for their future activities.

Tennis star Amritha Muttiah led the Familian success story last year. Today, she is Sri Lanka’s number one women’s tennis ace.

The 18-year-old was named Sportswoman of the Year 2010. The A/L student had an impressive record over the past year – winning the Triple Crown at the Sri Lankan Tennis Nationals 2010 – Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles titles, a feat she achieved for the second consecutive year. The school introduced Amritha to the game – starting her off with Mini-Tennis as a seven year old. “School has done a lot for me. Past and present principals and staff have been very supportive and encouraging,” she said. Becoming Sri Lanka’s top woman player was not going to keep this talented youngster happy for long and she expanded her horizons with the International Tennis Federation Under-18 title. The teenager who has been playing tennis for 12 years was the only Sri Lankan girl to represent the country at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

With that kind of role model it is not surprising that HFC’s Under-15 and Under-19 teams became first and second runners-up respectively at the All Island Inter-school tennis tournament. While sports has been the source of medals, shields and other accolades – HFC chalked up impressive achievements in academics and arts as well.

One such highlight last year was a Familian’s success against a formidable line up of young people in South Asia’s largest hunt for outstanding students who have a correct balance of character and competence. A-Level student Rosheni Ratnayake was chosen for one of the 12 coveted Wiz Kids titles from a field of over 2,000 contestants from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The Wiz Kids contest provides school children between 12 and 18 the opportunity to discover and showcase their talents in various fields while competing in a healthy and energetic environment. Each competitor had to complete a project on the theme ‘Fulfilling the needs and wants of those less fortunate than you.’ Rosheni’s entry based on creating awareness about poverty stricken people in Moneragala in Sri Lanka’s Uva Province was chosen as the Best Project.

Recounting her experience, the Familian said “The contest was really hard but the experience is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. You are forced to remove the limits you set yourself and push yourself beyond.”

Meanwhile, Head Prefect Dushanthi Weerasekera was placed first in the Colombo District and second in the All Island English Speech Competition in the Lowa Dinana Singiththo 2010 competition organised by the Education Ministry.

Mendis was later admitted to the Matara Hospital with head injuries sustained during the attack.

According to the police the Vice Chancellor was assaulted by a group of students when he had tried to intervene and settle a clash between two student groups at the University that had commenced last night.

Six Ruhuna University students also were injured during last night’s clash.

Police have cordoned off the area around the campus.

Courts have rejected the bail application presented to court to secure the release of the 21 university students arrested by the police last Thursday (14).

Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singappuli has rejected the bail application to secure the release of the university students.

The 21 university students were arrested by the police last week after they forcibly entered the Higher Education Ministry premises.

The Cinnamon Gardens police had reportedly objected to the bail application on the grounds that inquiries against them were still pending.

Meanwhile following an initiative by the Tharunyata Hetak Organization, President Mahinda Rajapaksa decided to meet the parents of the students who have been taken into custody.

L.N.A. Karunaratne

The Inter University Student’s Federation (IUSF) is challenging Vice Chancellor, Sri Jayewardenepura University, L.N.A. Karunaratne to take legal action against the student’s federation if they have fabricated the ‘Virginity Test’ story as claimed by him.
Convener, IUSF, Udul Premaratne queried why the Vice Chancellor (VC) does not go before court if the IUSF has ‘tarnished’ his good name and challenged Karunaratne to prove that what has been highlighted is incorrect.
“The VC reportedly says that we have fabricated a story to tarnish his name and has made a challenge to us to take legal action against him, if he indeed forcibly bundled up some students in an ambulance and sent them for a virginity test. We would have certainly gone before courts if the doctors did perform any virginity tests on these students, but since they have not done so, there is no necessity for us to take legal action. If we have tarnished the good name of the VC let him take legal action against us,” Premaratne told The Sunday Leader.
According to Premaratne, the VC has threatened many of the young girls who were sent to the Kalubowila hospital for the virginity test and has ordered them to remain silent, failing which strict disciplinary action would be taken against them.
“Despite all these threats these female students are ready to give evidence if the VC goes before court against the IUSF,” claimed Premaratne.
When contacted, VC, Sri Jayewardenepura University L.N.A. Karunaratne refused to speak to The Sunday Leader.

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena has said that medical experts who have attended the parliamentary consultative committee meeting of the Education Ministry have said that the Grade 5 scholarship examination placed an undue burden on children at a tender age.

The Minister has told the media that the medical experts have proposed that if the government wished to continue with the Grade 5 scholarship examination, they could shift it to Grade 7.

According to Gunawardena, although Sri Lankan children were intelligent to face the challenge of a competitive exam in Grade 5, it was an undue pressure on them.

A school denied and The evicted students

The students of the Omanthai Central College may have to celebrate the centenary of their school in temporary structures built on the side of the A9.
The Omanthai Central College is a large facility. It has a sports ground, several buildings and even a hostel. With the conflict over and a bright new age dawning in this war torn region north of Vavuniya one would expect to see the students of the school, which is due to celebrate its centenary next year, in an upbeat, hopeful mood.
Instead they languish in makeshift aluminum sheds across the road from the school. They lie cramped in absurd conditions open to the harshest of the elements come rain or shine. There are 550 students currently in the school and all of them, from the toddlers in the primary section to the seniors, have to undergo the torture of studying in substandard conditions while looking across the road at their perfectly serviceable school building, which is denied to them.

Surrendered

The Omanthai Central College has been used since December 2008 as an Army facility to house surrendered cadres. The Principal of the school M. Arasaratnam says that he was told in December 2008 that he was to take his students and leave the school. ‘They said it was on the orders of the GA’. Since then the school was used to house surrendered soldiers of the LTTE.
The school principal then had no choice but to move his students out to a patch of land across the road from the school where they set up long buildings made up of aluminum half walls and thatch roofs. They had spent the most of the last two years teaching and studying in conditions such as this. A few weeks ago sudden storms all but destroyed their small makeshift school and the students and teachers were left to the mercy of the UN who constructed them the temporary sheds in which they study right now.

Straitened

The school is functioning under dire circumstances with barely enough room to house its students. The new UN shelter is located in the grounds of a kovil that is being renovated and the staff says that they would have to move again when it is completed.
‘The kovil has already asked us to move out of their land, saying that they will need it,’ says Arasaratnam who has been the principal since 1999.
The children, though put through hardship, still appear eager to attend school. There is a marked decline in numbers in the higher forms but several smaller children fill the temporary school with the usual bustle and chat found in any school.
‘We have excellent facilities in the college’ says T. Ahilan a physical education teacher pointing out the large hostel building visible across the road ‘but unfortunately we are not even allowed to access the school grounds to practise sports.’

No response

‘We are finding it extremely hard to carry on in the conditions that we are under right now, even though we gave complained to the GA several times we have received no response; we even spoke to several ministers who came to this area but none of them helped us.’ Arasaratnam, who studied in the school as a boy, told us that the school will be 100 years old next year. He looks tired and deflated. He somewhat dejectedly asked us if we can help his school in any way — one can see that he has been through all the motions and has been disappointed before.
The Sunday Leader contacted the GA for the Vavuniya area P.S.M. Charles who said that the school in question was shut down on the orders of the police and not the GA. She further said that she had been transferring all complaints with regard to the school to the Terrorism Investigation Division, more specifically to its head, DIG Nimal Wakista. The Sunday Leader’s attempts to contact the Ministry of Education or the DIG before going into print proved fruitless.

Bound by red tape

It appears that the children and hapless staff of the Omanthai Central College have not only been the victims of a brutal war, they have also been victimised by and continue to suffer under a heartless bureaucracy that continues to ignore their pleas for justice. They languish in preposterous sheds made of crumbling thatch roofs and rusting metal sheets while the terrorists who helped bring their hometown to such a miserable state enjoy the solid comfort of the school they should be studying in. And what is more, they do this under the endorsement and enforcement of the very armed forces that were supposed to protect and ‘liberate’ them.
What used to be Omanthai Central College is now only a shell of a building housing ex fighters.  The real school is living on the streets. And it would not have survived the two years of homelessness if it were not for the brave efforts of the school teachers and the enthusiasm of its students. It would be a tragedy indeed if they were to celebrate their centenary in such dire circumstances.

By Ranee Mohamed

Students of the Sri Jayewardenepura University claim that the Vice Chancellor, N. L. A. Karunaratne sent six girls for a virginity test.  They say that the Vice Chancellor’s phobias are making their campus life miserable.
“The girls were talking to boys on August 25 at about 6.30 p.m. as it often happens in campus life, when they were forcibly put into the campus ambulance  by security guards and taken away to the Kalubowila Hospital for a virginity test. The Vice Chancellor’s love phobia is very unusual. He has broken down most of the summer huts, he has destroyed all the benches and girls are not allowed to talk to boys in the campus. There are cameras everywhere to ascertain whether girls are talking to boys,” said Convenor, Inter University Student Federation, Upul Premaratne.
Alleging that even the smallest act that displeases the Vice Chancellor results in suspension,  students said that sending the six girls to the Kalubowila Hospital after chiding the six boys and sending them away has caused anger and frustration in the campus.
“Some of the girls in the campus are married and there are young mothers here too. If checking their virginity will be done at random on the whims and fancies of the Vice Chancellor it will create both a problem and embarrassment to these young people,” said Premaratne.
According to a former employee of the Campus the Vice Chancellor has allegedly on one occasion intruded on boys and girls in close conversation and forced their parents to get them ‘married off.’ A student alleged that letters have been obtained from some couples vouching  that they will get married.
“Sixty students have been suspended within two months. Notices and posters have been prohibited. We are not even allowed to have a Bodhi Pooja in the evening. There are cameras everywhere and if a group of seniors are seen in the company of first year students, then the seniors get suspended. This trend is cramping our campus culture,” said  disheartened students. “Everything has to stop by 6 p.m. and five people are not allowed to even sit together,” they said.
“He promised in the presence of the Minister that the suspension of 52 students will be removed, but no sooner the Minister left 40 students were suspended again,” alleged the students.
Convenor of the Inter University Student Federation also noted that it is cause for concern that the Vice Chancellor allegedly strolls into the girls’ hostel after 7 p.m to look for ‘adu paadu’ (needs). “Recently the Vice Chancellor stalled his car alongside two students who were wearing caps and ordered them to remove the caps stating that they were ‘rastiyadu’ caps and thereafter shouted ‘duwapan’ to the students,” alleged Premaratne.
“Recently a student who could not bring his ID had to undergo the most humiliating punishment,” alleged Convenor Premaratne.  All students of the Sri Jayewardenepura University are over 18 years of age.
“This is the greatest insult to all womankind.  Checking on whether a girl is a virgin or not does not come within the purview of the duties of the Vice Chancellor. It borders on mental perversion,” said a former Vice Chancellor of the University when contacted by The Sunday Leader.
Sources at the Kalubowila Hospital when contacted by The Sunday Leader said that they were not in a position to divulge sensitive information regarding personal tests.
When The Sunday Leader telephoned the office of Vice Chancellor N.L.A Karunaratne to get his side of the story  on Thursday afternoon, we were told that he was not in. When we somehow acquired his mobile number and called him on Friday he said, “Madam, I am busy at an interview board.” When we tried to call him thereafter repeatedly he insisted he was busy, finally leaving his phone unanswered.

Determining Virginity
A virginity test is the practice and process of inspecting the genitalia of girls and women to determine if they are sexually chaste. It is based on the false assumption that a woman’s hymen can only be torn as a result of sexual intercourse.

By A. Abdul Aziz

The Holy Quran states: ‘O ye who believe, fasting is prescribed for you during a fixed number of days as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may safeguard yourselves against every kind of ill and become righteous.’

‘The month of Ramadhan is the month in which the Quran began to be revealed, the Book which comprises guidance for mankind and clear proof of guidance and divine signs which discriminate between truth and falsehood. Therefore, he who witnesses this month, being stationary and in good health should fast through it. But whoso is ailing, not being permanently incapacitated, or is on journey, should complete the reckoning by fasting on a corresponding number of other days. Allah desires ease for you and desires not hardship for you; He has granted you this facility so that you should encounter no hardships in completing the reckoning, and that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you and that you may be grateful to Him.’ (Al Quran: 2: 186)

‘It is made lawful for you to consort with your wives during the nights of the fast. They are as a garment for you and you are as a garment for them. Allah knows that you were being unjust to yourselves, whereof He has turned to you with mercy and has corrected your error. So consort with them now without compunction and seek that which Allah has ordained for you, and eat and drink till the break of dawn begins to manifest itself. From then on, complete the fast till nightfall. But do not consort with your wives during the period when you are in retreat in the mosques. These are the limits prescribed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus does Allah expound His commandments to the people, so that they may safeguard themselves against evil.’ (Al Quran: 2: 188)

The idea of the fast has been inculcated in all religious disciplines which are based on revelation, though strict conformity to the ordinances relating thereto is no longer insisted upon. Indeed, within some disciplines, the fast has been reduced to a purely symbolic observance. In Islam, the ordinances relating to the fast are clearly stated and defined and to the degree of their applicability, they are strictly observed. A tendency towards greater rigidity is sometimes encountered and has to be checked and countered through exposition of the true purpose of the fast and of the meaning of the regulations and their spirit.

The observance of the fast is obligatory upon every adult Muslim during the month of Ramadhan, the ninth month in the lunar calendar current in Islam. As the lunar year is shorter by about 11 days than the solar year, Ramadhan rotates through the year and the seasons, arriving 11 days earlier every year. Thus in every part of the earth, it progresses through every season in turn. In the tropics, when Ramadhan falls in the summer season, not only are days longer than in the winter but the fast entails additional hardship on account of the heat, as normal occupations and pursuits have to be carried on and in the intense heat and dryness, a severe degree of thirst may have to be endured through several hours each day.

The fast is, however, in no sense a penance. It is a physical, moral and spiritual discipline, and the object is the promotion of righteousness and security against evil. Through the experience of the fast, the worshipper is impelled to exalt Allah for His having provided the guidance and is prompted to the beneficent use of His favours and bounties. Outside Ramadhan, a voluntary fast may be observed at any time, except on the two festival days. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, often observed a fast on Monday and Thursday but he did not approve of a voluntary fast being observed on a Friday.

Physical Observance

The observation of a fast, whether obligatory or voluntary, or by way of expiation or as a penalty, is subject to the same regulations. The period of the daily fast extends from the first flush of dawn normally about an hour and a quarter before sunrise, till after sunset. During this period neither food nor drink or nourishment may be passing through the lips of a person who is observing the fast. Nor should any drug or other substance be swallowed or injected into the system. The fast may, however, be discontinued in case of emergency and would be terminated if the person observing the fast becomes sick. Nor should there be any consorting between husband and wife or any approach to it.

The fast must not be continued beyond sunset even if nothing is immediately available for terminating the fast save a few drops of water, a pinch of salt or sugar, a bit of stale bread or a dried date, etc.  If during the fast, food or drink should be swallowed in complete forgetfulness of the fast, that would not vitiate the fast and the fast should be completed till nightfall. Should, however, something be swallowed through carelessness, even involuntarily, the fast is vitiated and cannot be continued.

It is customary and is considered desirable that a light breakfast should be taken immediately before the commencement of the fast. The breaking of the fast after sunset should not be made an occasion for gorging oneself with food and drink. This would be in contravention of the fast and would be a departure from the example of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, which must be adhered to. It could also prove harmful to health. The month of Ramadhan is a period of intensive training in beneficent values. Abstention from food and drink and conjugal relations for a certain number of hours each day through a month is a valuable exercise in endurance and steadfastness. But that is only the outer shell, as it were of the fast. Yet even this has a great social significance. It brings home to the well-to-do sector of society the meaning of hunger and thirst.

The True Purpose of Ramadhan

The true purpose of Ramadhan, as of all forms of Islamic worship is to draw people closer to Allah.’  The fast terminates with the appearance of the new moon. The new moon may be visible after sunset of the 29th day of the fast, but if not the fast must be continued the next day, thus making a total of 30 days during the month. It may be that on the 30th evening, visibility may be very poor due to atmospheric conditions, and the moon may not be visible. That would make no difference and Ramadhan would terminate at sunset on that day, as it is recognised that a lunar month cannot extend beyond 30 days.

The  parents of Dinal Fonseka — Amaranath and Srini Fonseka allege that after the publication of this article  their 17 year old son, a promising young cricketer was suspended from playing cricket for the team of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10, without any reason or explanation and that there have been threats as ‘wait and see what will happen to your other children.’ Five of their sons attend  the school .

“The letters we have written to the Rector asking whether the suspension is temporary or permanent and the reason why our son was called by the coach, then humiliated and asked to go back home has been met with the reply ‘…there is no obligation on my part to reply to the letter under reference. There has never been a practice at this school to answer questions such as those raised by you.”
The Fonsekas say “Our son was made vice captain and we gave into that decision. But we could not bear it when there was an attack on our son in the school premises and the authorities turned a blind eye to it, stating that the attack was by a student from another school.”

The Fonsekas allege that the ‘attack’ on their son Dinal was ‘organised.’
“Now the school is saying all kinds of stories about us. With eight children and their school work and the running of our family we have no time to be engaged in a battle against their school without a good reason. The school authorities are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the public. Discipline must be restored at St. Joseph’s College,” insist the Fonsekas. Amaranath Fonseka is a fourth generation Josephian.

It is the position of the school that “there has been an alleged breach of discipline by Dinal Fonseka.  An inquiry is being held in the normal course by the cricket coordinator.”

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The Fonsekas Are Trouble Makers

From: Aruna Jayewickreme
To: Undisclosed-Recipient
Subject: Whats Happening at SJC?

Dear,

I am in no way taking sides of anyone in this episode; that includes the Rector. However, for an old boy of SJC to take it to the public and bring disrepute to the school is unbecoming.

From the facts that I have gathered, this incident was blown out of proportion simply to take revenge against SJC, for not appointing master Dinal Fonseka, as the Captain of the under 19 cricket team for 2010/2011.

The cricket authorities had submitted two names for Rev. Father’s approval. These names were; Dinal Fonseka & Jan Jayasuriya (the youngster who scored a 50 in last year’s big match). On performance Jan has been ahead of Dinal.

Fr. Rector has forwarded both names to the Administration Board, which consists of senior teachers, to inquire in to the disciplinary records of the two. The Admin Board has rejected Dinal’s name, as he has had a very poor disciplinary record at SJC.

Based on the recommendations of the Admin Board, Jan was appointed as the captain. This has led to the Fonseka’s abusing all and sundry, with various allegations. The co-coordinator of Cricket, Susilough de S. Wijeratne was one such person, who had to face the brunt of verbal abuse from the Fonsekas.

Jan Jayasuriya is a Buddhist. This alone is a clear message that SJC does not discriminate any one based on ones cast, creed, religion or ethnicity. The fact that Jan is a Buddhist too has irritated Amaranath Fonseka. He has mentioned in several quarters that his son is not willing to play under a Buddhist captain. He has alleged that the Rector has broken Josephian tradition by appointing a Buddhist in a Catholic school to lead its under 19 cricket team. This fact alone will bear testimony to the motive and character of the Fonseka’s.

If you recall, the Fonseka’s have a reputation of trying to tarnish the name of SJC, at every given opportunity. The elder brother of Amaranath, an eccentric, was instrumental in filing a case against the former Rector, Fr. Victor Silva and the OBU, for shifting the date of the OBU from Sunday to Saturday. There is a small gang of old cronies, who were behind this move, that still comes to OBU AGMs and tries to put their two cents on matters of an insignificant nature. Amaranath Fonseka is the latest member of this gang.

The press exposure was all about taking revenge from SJC, on a matter connected to the captaincy of the under 19 cricket team and had nothing to do with the Josephian Walk or Carnival.

It was a fight that has taken place between Dinal Fonseka and another. The alleged assaulter has been identified and has admitted to assaulting Dinal, to the Maradana Police. This boy happens to be a student of D.S. Senanayake College. The fight has been over a personal matter between Dinal and him and had nothing to do with SJC.

This is the true story. The article was sponsored by the rich, chauvinist Fonsekas to teach a lesson to Fr. Rector, at the expense of SJC. This is the type of warp minds that the Fonsekas possess.Over to you, for further inquiry. Please pass this message to all your Josephian contacts.

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Cronyism The Cause
(By post)

Historians attribute the fall of the Roman Empire to  (a) a bloated public service, (b) the debasement of currency, (c) love of the circus. The fall of my alma mater is not due to any of that. It is squarely due to cronyism. Cronyism in the appointment of teachers, cronyism in the award of multi-million rupee contracts, cronyism  in the appointment of prefects, now grandly called stewards, a word more familiar to punters, gamblers, loan sharks and allied characters.
With that type of discipline a crucial component in the culture of the school has gone to the dogs, and what is left is enforced by bog-trotters from Wanathamulla. The recent experience of a teen cricketer is a case in point. Even though vulgar, it is true, fish begins to rot starting from the head.

Although heads when appointed are subjectively well intended, nothing is more tragic when the well-intended deed causes irreparable damage, the extent of which can hardly be foreseen. In the words of Talleyrand, “It is worse than a crimes,” “It is a blunder.” The results, of that blunder are there to see. It has delivered St. Joseph’s College into the hands of her worst enemies.

Richard Alles
Negombo

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Clergy Not Suitable As School Heads
From: sunilwimalasuriya@gmail.com
To: raneemoham@hotmail.com

Ref articles in yr column of 25/7 & 1/8 of  The Sunday Leader my advice to Dinal Fonseka’s parents, take your children out of St. Joseph’s if you care for their future well being.

Do not compromise  and punish those who are  not at fault.

On 19/10/1999 I made a complaint to Children’s and Women Police Station down Castle St. Borella as the St. Josephs College authorities acted in the most callous way over a complaint I made.  My eldest son was physically and mentally abused by some students and a male teacher. (I will call the male teacher MF)

The same week this same male teacher (MF) had viciously assaulted a child in my younger son’s class my son infomed us as to what happened and the following day I spoke to the then Prefect of Dicipline and told him, as a 4th generation Josephian I am much concerned how the kids are handled in school, as my children are also in their care during class hours.

My wife, a teacher in a leading girl’s school told him that if this kind of ‘child abuse’ continues the name of the school will have to be changed to Premadasa Vadakagaraya. (Many old Joes disagreed when Premadasa’s name was given to the new pavilion).

The following morning this particular teacher  had walked up to my younger son in class in a threatening manner and asked him in Sinhala ‘Tho gedara gihin monawada kiwve?’ My son had replied ‘dutu de kiwva.’ MF had called him a ‘p……’ all the boys had laughed, but as my son did not understand the meaning of the word he came home and asked us.

That was enough, we got the message properly, my two boys in grade 11 and grade 9, were not sent to school  the following day, as we knew what next to expect.

We took them out and addmitted them to another school, and complained to police who carried out an investigation. MF was sacked from school.

The person in authority who instigated (MF) absconded though he was called to give a statement to the police.

I was furious when I heard that he was appointed to a high position.

On the day of the Josephian Walk, I was amused to see  the happenings. There   are many shocking stories……..…………………….(paragraphs subject to editing and deleting…………….)
Some do not get the respect of teachers and students as they know what goes on behind the cover of robes.

As a Catholic my advise to the Catholic administrators is, appoint retired Catholic Army Generals to be in charge of these schools to keep the boys out of reach of ……………(subject to editing/deleting)
S.W.
raneemoham@hotmail.com