Ramya Kumar A new batch arrived at our Faculty again. Students representing almost all districts of the country remind me once again of the wonderful opportunity we have for promoting social and ethnic cohesion at our universities. Sadly, however, many students do not interact with each other during the first few semesters, not only because […]
General education reforms: What about language and ethnicity? Read More »
Ramya Kumar A new batch arrived at our Faculty again. Students representing almost all districts of the country remind me once again of the wonderful opportunity we have for promoting social and ethnic cohesion at our universities. Sadly, however, many students do not interact with each other during the first few semesters, not only because
General education reforms: What about language and ethnicity? Read More »
Sumathy Sivamohan In the short span of two or three days, Cyclone Ditwah, has caused a disaster of unprecedented proportions in our midst. Lashing away at almost the entirety of the country, it has broken through the ramparts of centuries old structures and eroded into areas, once considered safe and secure. The rains may have
An awakening: Revisiting education policy after Cyclone Ditwah Read More »
Ahilan Kadirgamar The unique strength of Sri Lanka’s public education system is that it has been free up to university level. When we look at the massive level of student debt in other countries, including in the West, we realise what a great boon free university education has been for our youth. With the current
State funding of higher education and research Read More »
Shamala Kumar Chief among my concerns regarding the announced major curriculum revision to general education is the lack of a document open to public scrutiny. Public institutions must be accountable to the public. Instead, PowerPoint presentations, news snippets and casual discussions with Ministry officials are all I must go by as I put a spotlight
Psychometrics and the Curriculum for General Education Read More »
Udari Abeyasinghe Considering the range of experiences academics encounter in university environments, from collegiality to subtle hostility, it is worth asking whether higher education institutions genuinely allow their junior members to work with dignity. Do our academic environments foster fairness, respect and recognition they truly deserve, or do they continue to erode these very principles?
Working with dignity: Reflections from within academia Read More »
Hasini Lecamwasam My ongoing fieldwork on agrarian politics in Sri Lanka is teaching me many things that are not directly related to, but heavily condition what happens in agriculture. I’m learning how the dynamics of everyday domestic life impact agrarian decisions: whether or not the credit taken for agriculture purposes is always actually spent on
Survival of the fittest? The importance of context-sensitivity in education reform Read More »
Kaushalya Perera The 2024 general elections saw many academics on election stages and a visibly larger number in Parliament. Some of them now hold ministerial positions. Others have been appointed to various other institutions. It is unsurprising then that we academics as a class, have been looking at familiar faces in the news. Is this
Better the known devil? Some thoughts on the politicisation of education Read More »
Anushka Kahandagamage The recently unveiled education reforms have provoked considerable buzz among scholars, researchers, teachers, parents, and students. Everyone is seeking to contribute, but the government is proceeding without a consultative process or proper document, relying only on an evolving PowerPoint presentation. While the reforms remain obscure, the Education Minister has been issuing statements about
Meritocratic education policy: Widening disparities Read More »
Farzana Haniffa On 7th May 2015, the University Grants Commission released a circular, entitled Ethics and Academic Accountability for Academic Staff in the Sri Lankan University system. The circular was prepared by the Quality Assurance Council of the UGC and included a section called Academic Freedom and accountability for mapping of workload and work norms.
How much work is too much work? Academic workload and the accountability culture Read More »
