education-dev-global-era-69

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Chapter 5: Paradoxes of Economic and Social Development in Sri Lanka:the Wages of Civil War – Angela W. LittleInterestingly this analysis presents peace as the driver of education rather than education as thedriver of peace.English has been promoted as a ‘link language’ between communities for some years.The 1997 reforms promoted the introduction of oral English from Grade 1, the strengtheningof the teaching of English throughout the school system and the teaching of Science andMathematics in Grades 12-13 through the medium of English. Teaching through the mediumof English gained further support through the ‘amity schools’ initiative in 2001. The aim ofthese schools was:to allow high–achieving students representing different ethnic groups to grow up in anamicable atmosphere, studying and working together, using a common link language toforge common thinking and learning, and, in doing so, harnessing core values of goodwillfor the country (Perera et al, 2004: 404).Two years later implementation wasa far cry from the originally articulated concept of these schools. In practice, educationauthorities gave schools that opted to offer classes in the English medium a green light,but little else has been accomplished in terms of setting up these schools…. One may hopethat the ideal amity schools… may still be achieved, but it will only happen if a consciouseffort is made to admit students from all ethnic groups (Perera et al, 2004: 404).The delineation of subjects and their content has also come under critical scrutiny, especiallywith regard to History and Social Studies, Religion, Language and Civics. Among severalcriticisms of the content of history textbooks has been the presentation of single ratherthan multiple interpretations of events, the disregard of fluid identities and avoidance ofcontemporary issues of ethnicity, ethnic conflict and war. Vested interests in maintaining thestructure and content of religion are seen as barriers to the teaching of religion as ‘comparativereligion or the culture of religions, which would be particularly conducive to a multicultural,pluralist society’ (Perera et al, 2004: 406).In short, the contribution of education to national unity has been compromised over the pastfew decades. Attempts made to ameliorate the ethnic conflict through education have focusedon bi-lingualism, link languages and subject content. With the exception of the amity schoolsdeigned to admit students of all ethnic groups, none of the reforms has tackled the fundamentalsegregation of young people in education by medium of instruction. Significantly, the so-called‘amity schools’ have succeeded in establishing English as the medium of instruction but havenot succeeded in ensuring admissions from all communities. In a nationally representative studyof 2,660 students, 51% reported having ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’ having had the opportunityto learn alongside students from a different ethnic group, with the lowest percentages amongstudents in the Northern part of the North-East province and in the Southern province.Asked whether they should learn alongside students of other ethnic groups an overwhelmingmajority, 82%, agreed. The figures for the Northern part of the North-East province and theSouthern province were 57% and 85% respectively (World Bank, 2005). Segregation of theeducation system by language and ethnicity may not have generated civil strife in any directDFID 199
Education and Development in a Global Era:Strategies for ‘Successful Globalisation’sense – but indirectly it has failed to generate the necessary opportunities for youngpeople to forge lasting friendships and identities that transcend ethnic and other markers ofsocial division.Paradoxically, the single social institution that has maintained its legitimacy and been protectedby all sides throughout the civil war has been the national school examination. Studentsattending schools that have come under the de facto control of the LTTE have been registeredfor the national examinations of GCE O and A level. The Department of Examinations hasfound ways of delivering examination scripts to the war torn areas – and the LTTE has offeredprotection to students in examination halls. Educational qualifications are still perceived as thefairest means for recruiting young people to jobs and further education. The reader will recall(Section 2.7) how dispute over changes to the GCE A Level criteria used for universityadmission in the 1970s had fuelled the emergence of the call for the state of Tamil Eelam.Education and examinations were perceived, by Tamils, as part of the growing sense ofdiscrimination. Twenty years on, in the grip of civil war, Tamil parents have struggled to keeptheir hopes for the future alive through education and through examinations. Though thecriteria for university admission continue to be contested in society as a whole, medium-wisestandardisation is no longer the issue. Debate revolves currently around admission via meritand via quotas designed to support students in rural areas with access to poorer educationalresources. The issue has been transformed from one of ethnicity and language to one of classand achievement. Examinations no longer divide society along the dimension of ethnicity.All ethnic groups are united in their pursuit of national examinations (Little, 1997).5. Current proposals for policy reform in educationThis section presents current proposals for educational reform that bear directly on the threethemes of engagement with globalisation – economic growth, equality and national unity.In 2003 the NEC made 122 recommendations on general education consistent with thenational development process and a vision of human development thatencompasses social, economic, political and personal development and ethical values reflectedin our religions traditions and is rooted in the principles of equity, relevance and excellence ina transformative process of education (NEC, 2003).Five bear directly on our themes:• curriculum renewal in the context of national identity and social cohesion;• curriculum renewal in the context of ‘the world of work’;• the promotion of English;• education technology;• private tuition, private schools and international schools.200 DFID
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Researching the Issues200769Educati
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Education and Development in a Glob
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List of AcronymsList of AcronymsAIC
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List of AcronymsSPARCSSASSASTTEVTTV
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Executive SummaryExecutive SummaryT
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Executive Summaryseveral decades la
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Executive SummaryOur studies of Eas
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Chapter 1: Introduction - Andy Gree
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1. IntroductionChapter 1: Education
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Chapter 1: Education, Globlisation
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1. IntroductionChapter 2: China’s
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Chapter 2: China’s Uneven Develop
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Chapter 3: Walking the Tightrope: E
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1. IntroductionChapter 4: Promise U
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Page 248 and 249: BibliographyBibliographyABAGI, O. (
Page 250 and 251: BibliographyBHALLA, S. (2003) The R
Page 252 and 253: BibliographyDALE, R. and ROBERTSON,
Page 254 and 255: BibliographyESPING-ANDERSEN , G. (1
Page 256 and 257: BibliographyGRIES, P.H. (2004) Chin
Page 258 and 259: BibliographyJAMES, H. (2001) The En
Page 260 and 261: BibliographyKINGDON, G. G. (1999)
Page 262 and 263: BibliographyLIU, Q.L., WANG, J.P. a
Page 264 and 265: BibliographyMUNSHI, K. and ROSENZWE
Page 266 and 267: BibliographyPERERA, L., WIJETUNGE,
Page 268 and 269: BibliographyREPUBLIC of KENYA (2003
Page 270 and 271: BibliographySISCI F. (2005) ‘Is C
Page 272 and 273: BibliographyUNDP (1999) Kenya Human
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BibliographyWORLD BANK (2003b) Chin
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IndexIndexAfricanisation, 144, 161A
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Index96-7, 110, 127; unorganised, 3
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NotesDFID 255
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DFID’s headquarters are located a
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