Protesters defeated the dictatorial Rajapaksa regime, making the Rajapaksas resign from their positions, premiership and presidency, of the government. After the collapse of the dynasty, Ranil Wickremesinghe, a Rajapaksa puppet, came to power with the support of a distorted majority in Parliament.
Suppressing the struggle: Education and the Discourse of Class Read More »
The rally of July 9th and the events that followed are symbolic of the radical changes in governance demanded by the people of this country. We want to be informed and consulted, an end to the abuse of power, fair distribution of the country’s resources and a democratic and inclusive society. The ruling elite, for whom the current system works, are not invested in the seismic shifts that are needed to make this happen.
Education and healthcare in crisis: Why IMF is not the solution Read More »
Very little in Sri Lanka at the moment inspires hope. We are facing an existential crisis that was inconceivable just six months ago. Sri Lanka is also, ironically, just a year away from marking the 75th year of its independence. As we reflect on these seven decades of postcolonial nation building, and as we confront a future of extreme precarity, our scorecard as a country is not a proud one.
Solidarity and Aragalaya: A few thoughts from an educationist’s perspective Read More »
The current economic crisis has hit the country’s education sector severely. From pre-school children to undergraduates, students, teachers and non-academic staff attached to our educational system, have been affected in unprecedented ways.
Education at a time of economic crisis Read More »
#GotaGoHome captures a diverse range of demands. One of these is the demand for ‘kramaya peralamu’ or systemic change.
Moving from #GotaGoHome to #SystemChange Read More »
Sri Lankans continue to protest against a corrupt government and, especially, demand the discontinuation in office of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his extended family. As the call for the government to step down intensifies and becomes ever more specific, I start to wonder whether a government, however mighty, can bring about this sort of socio-economic free fall on its own.
The university and the present moment of crisis Read More »
The education system, to which we belonged, then and today, is not transformative, not in the way we envisioned. As far as education was concerned, the solution to the lockdown was to merely move from on-site to online, with little acknowledgement of the students
Education worthy of this moment of crisis Read More »
I use the hashtag #GoHomeGota to mark this watershed moment in Sri Lanka’s postcolonial history. It is in honour of the people who have stormed the streets to demolish the Bastille of a dynastic and nepotistic political regime that has left Sri Lanka in an economic meltdown. People of every class and creed have united against a “common enemy”; the Rajapaksas.
#GoHomeGota, ‘the struggle’ and the rhetoric Read More »
Over a month ago, I wrote in this column about the way the current Quality Assurance processes, including the Qualifications framework, has little space for Humanities and Social Sciences
Where Arts Faculties should be headed – a rejoinder Read More »
A month ago, the University I am attached to, circulated an email to the faculty academics asking them to submit details of their research and publications for 2017-2021. The email mentioned that these details were required by the National Audit Office of Sri Lanka.
A crisis ‘in’ Social Sciences education or a crisis ‘of’ Social Sciences education? Read More »
