கவனிக்க: இந்த மின்னூலைத் தனிப்பட்ட வாசிப்பு, உசாத்துணைத் தேவைகளுக்கு மட்டுமே பயன்படுத்தலாம். வேறு பயன்பாடுகளுக்கு ஆசிரியரின்/பதிப்புரிமையாளரின் அனுமதி பெறப்பட வேண்டும்.
இது கூகிள் எழுத்துணரியால் தானியக்கமாக உருவாக்கப்பட்ட கோப்பு. இந்த மின்னூல் மெய்ப்புப் பார்க்கப்படவில்லை.
இந்தப் படைப்பின் நூலகப் பக்கத்தினை பார்வையிட பின்வரும் இணைப்புக்குச் செல்லவும்: Seminar Report: University Education 1980

Page 1
SEMNAR
UNIVERSITY
29th M።
S
A CASENE
475 ALAND
 
 

REPOR
EDUCATION
urch I980
RESEARCH CENTR
OU O SRI I
AO OOOO

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Page 3
SEMINAR
UNIVERSITY
29th M
SOCAL SCIENCE
NATIONAL SCIENCE
475, MATLAND

REPORT
EDUCATION
larch 980
RESEARCH CENTRE
COUNCIL OF SRI LANKA
PACE, COLOMBO 7.

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Page 5
CONTI
Programme,
SESSION
SESSION
1.
Opening Address - Dr. R. P. Jayewardene
Keynote Address - Dr. F. S. C. P. Kalpage
The Concept of University Autonomy - Prof.
The Operation of the University Act - Prof. S
Discussion
Demand for University Education - Prof. (Mrs
Selections for University Plucation - Prof. C.
Discussion 0
2
Professional Courses at the University
Medicine - Dr. S. A. Cabraal
Law - Prof. T. Nadarajah
Engineering - Prof. C. Patuwathavithana
Architecture and Town and Country Plann
sdence in the University - Prof. н. Crusz
Social Sciences in the University - Dr. S. Banc
Discussion

ENTS
K. M. de Silva
. Wijesundera
...) S. Jayaweera
R. de Silva
ing — Prof. R. Pieris
laranayake
10
14
17
18
26
29
34
36
39
41
45
51
56

Page 6
SESSION 3
The Role of the University in Society - Dr. H
Discussion
Panel Discussion
(Prof. A. W. Mailvaganam, Mr. B. Weerakoon, and Prof. K. Kailasapathy)
List of Participants

. N. S. Kurunatilake
Mr. S. Amunugama, Dr. D. A. Kotelawala,
58
62
65
72

Page 7
PROG
29th M
SESSION
Chai
Alter
9.00 a.m. - 9.15 a.m. -
9, 15 a.m. - 9.45 a.m. ܗ )
9.45 a.m. - 10.15 a.m.
10.15 a.m. - 10.30 a.m. -
10.30 a.m. - 11.00 a.m. -
11.00 a.m. - 11.30 a.m. -
11.30 a.m. - 1200 noon -
12.00 noon - 1.00 p.m. -
SESSION II
1.00 p.m. - 2.00 p.m. -
( {
(
2.00 p.m. - 2.30 p.m. -
2.30 p.m. - 3.00 p.m. -
3.00 p.m. - 3.45 p.m. -
SESSION II
3.45 p.m. - 4.15 p.m. -
4.15 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. - .
Rapporteur:

RAMME
arch 1980
al Dr. R. P. Jayewardene
nate Chairman - Dr. H. N. S. Karunatilake
Key-note Address Dr. F. S. C. P. Kalpage
Concept of University Autonomy - Prof. K. M. de Silva
Operation of University Act - Prof. S. Wijesundera
Tea
Demand for University Education -
Prof. (Mrs.) S. Jayaweera
Selections for University Education - Prof. C.R. de Silva
Discussion
LUNCH
Professional Courses at the University
(a) Medicine - Dr. S. A. Cabraal (b) Law - Prof. T. Nadarajah c) Engineering - Prof. C. Patuwathavithane b) Architecture - Prof. R. Peiris
Sciences in the University - Prof. H. Crusz
Social Sciences in the University - Dr. S. Bandaranayake
Tea and Discussion
The Role of the University in Society -
Dr. H. N. S. Karunatilake
Panel Discussion and Summing Up (Prof. A. W. Mailvaganam, Mr. R. B. Weerakoon, Mr. S. Amunugama, Dr. D. A. Kotelawela, Prof. K. Kailasapathy)
Mrs. C. M. Fernando Secretary, Social Science Research Centre, N. S. C.

Page 8


Page 9
7
SESSION 1
Opening
Dr. R. P.
On behalf of the Social Science Research Cent to this Seminar on the important topic of "University E commended for selecting this theme for discussion t of the biggest problems facing this country. We all Lanka has been a very stormy one. The University of ( Colony of the British Empire. However Hongkong, a versity as early as 1907. There must have been some time which made this long delay possible.
Those who have followed the history of th drawnout discussions, fruitful and otherwise, as to wher was settled in favour of Peradeniya which was in my c been the site of many battles between staff, students an which interfered with development of the University. university is not on the programme today. I am hope aspect - how politics has affected the university move
I think the next speaker Dr. Kalpage is well s Peradeniya he was once in the thick of this battle. Th education, administration, staff and students should no about it and I can think of no one better than Prof. to read about it because as teachers of the university
Then later we had the creation of one Univers Act several Universities have been established once ag discussion today. Ladies and Gentlemen, I now call

Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
Address
Jayewardene
re of the National Science Council, I welcome all of you Education'. The Social Science Research Centre is to be ecause Universities and University Education is one know that the history of university development in Sri ceylon was created in 1942 when Ceylon was still a Crown other Crown Colony which still remains one, had a Unithing wrong with this country or the government at the
: University movement will recall that there were long e the University should be sited. The battle of the sites pinion a good choice. Since then Peradeniya itself has d various factions both within and outside the University I am sorry to note that a discussion on politics and the ful however that some of the speakers will deal with this ment and university education in Sri Lanka.
uited for this task because as a University Professor at e ravaging effects of politics and politicians on university it merely be discussed but someone should write a book Kingsley de Silva for this task. It will be very interesting we were all affected.
ity of Sri Lanka with several campuses and with the new gain. I believe all these matters will be coming up for upon Dr. Kalpage to deliver the keynote address.

Page 10
8
SESSION
Keynote
Dr. F. S. (
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wis. National Science Council for having given me this o such as this is particularly useful to those of us who li wao have very little time to step out on to the bank ar we are swimming with the current or against it, what st This seminar would help us to get some feed-back as to address and allocated 15 minutes-within this time I sha which are the subjects for discussion at this seminar - Demand and Selections for University Education, the ( role of the University in society. We could perhaps ( on them briefly.
It is now 15 months after Universities Act N University matters in an atmosphere entirely different 1972 was passed there was a turbulent period in Un C. R. de Silva incident where the University teachers we things are very much better though there are rumblings Commission and the University teachers are still waiti perfect but we have initiated a series of discussions on 1 to make changes as we go on.
Few people are aware of the tremendous str. have to continue doing it. The fact that we have bi University Grants Commission.
Then there is the demand for university edu 70,000 sitting the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination admission to the traditional Universities. Last year the Level examinations, one in April 1979 and one in A sat in August and from both examinations only 5000 this demand to be met? Is it necessary to meet this der of the problems that Prof. Swarna Jayaweera will disci
Of course one way to meet the demand is to se the present Minister of Higher Education, H. E. the Pr we met him for the first time that we should aim at c. hope I won't be misquoted, that Dr. Kalpage said that are looking into the possibility of creating a University provided we get Cabinet sanction so that the necessar
One way of dealing with the expansion of U. will begin functioning by May/June 1980. By the end Open University to cater to abeat 8000 students and b

Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
Address
. P. Kalpage
h to thank the Social Science Research Centre of the pportunity to discuss University education. A seminar ce myself are in the middle of the stream, as it were, and ld to have a look at what the waters are like, whether rt of currents there are on the surface and underneath. what is happening. I have been asked to give a keynote ill not attempt to deal exhaustively with the various topics University Autonomy, Operation of the University Act, lifferent kinds of courses at the University and finally the leal all day with each of these topics. I shall just touch
p. 16 of 1978 came into operation. We are dealing with from that of 1972. Fifteen months after Act No. 1 of iversity affairs. It brings to mind two incidents - the re rightly agitated and the Ashley Halpe incident. Now against the 'dictatorial attitude' of the University Grants ng for their salary increase. I admit the new Act is not he Act and amendments are being prepared. We intend
uggle we had to safeguard University autonomy and we een victorious is a vindication, I feel, of the role of the
cation. Until last year the figures were approximately , 30,000 being eligible to enter and 5000 being selected for situation was aggravated because there were two Advanced ugust 1979. Over 70,000 sat in April and nearly 30,000 can be selected to the traditional Universities. How is mand as far as University education goes? These are some
SS.
Eup Universities in every district. I am happy to say that 2sident has told the Univerisity Grants Commission when nsolidating what we have rather than proliferating. I the University in Batticaloa will not be established. We in Uva and the University in Batticaloa will be established y funds can be obtained.
liversity places is to establish the Open University which of this year we expect the correspondence courses of the
the mid 1980s to about 40,000 - 50,000 students.

Page 11
Prof. C. R. de Silva will be dealing with the to aware of the mode of selection adopted for 1979/80. of selection for 1980/81 to the Minister of Higher Educi week. It has been the practice for this matter to be consic it is the right practice or not but this practice was not st has deliberated on this matter and decided on the meth
Before I conclude I wish to say that during th action. We inherited a legacy of chaos and confusion the mess. I can say that now all University Councils a philosophy of this government is not to impose plans f with ready-made plans but we have asked each Univer programme, their departments and courses, their plan: facilities they require, their physical needs and the finar will consolidate all these plans into one Master Plan f we have to do in the immediate future and this we can c want these plans to evolve in the Departments throug Commission through the respective Councils. That opportunity to intervene in the course of the discussion

9
pic of Selections for University Admission. We are all We have presented our recommendations on the mode tion and I understand that a decision will be made next ered by the Cabinet of Ministers. I don't know whether arted by this government. Ever since 1976 the Cabinet od of selections for University admission.
e past year or so we have been clearing the decks for and we have, tried during the past 15 months to sort out re in a position to plan for the future. Once again the rom above. We have not come before the Universities sity to prepare its own master plan - their academic for undergraduate and postgraduate education, what cial implications of their programmes and so on. We or the development of the Universities. That is what inly do with the assistance of all Universities because we h the Faculties and come to the University Grants is all for the present but I hop: I will have a further
later on. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Page 12
10
SESSION I
The Concept of U
Prof. K.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I mus extended to me to participate in the discussion this mc like University Autonomy for me to speak on. In fa of University education - this question of Univerisity controversial.
Let me begin by saying that the concept of Univ as there are countries which accept the concept. For from the British version of it. If differs also from au the concept of autonomy varies from one sector of high that if today there are universities which are genuinely United States. Even Oxford and Cambridge lag behi
The second point about University autonomy freedom. In a sense there is a link between them but stand on its own. It is a principle which most civili have a univerisity in the true sense of the word if you freedom that a University teacher has to teach the subje or an article or a book without fear of censorship either equally the assumption that his views, however unpop way of his promotion within the university. A unive otherwise. If he doesn't think otherwise there is somet
The concept of university autonomy is not som can only refer to Some of its salient features and that versions of university autonomy. Before I come to country, I would like to point out that in this sense we
University autonomy in Britain was seldom a not have very many universities and these univers organisations. After the establishment of Oxford and established in Britain until the 18th Century, although As long as the Universities were small and relative status. They were independent bodies enjoying wi Those liberties were as strong as any of the fund international assemblies and do nothing about.The l degree of independence which they preserved till the 19 was rendered easier by the fact that they had act by skilful investments. Oxford and Cambridge the because they were wealthy and partly because uni The fact that these universities were autonomous in their affairs. Parliament did intervene and very ofte fanaticism-one form of Christianity imposing its own universities stood up to protect their form of orthodo due to public recognition of the fact that the Colleges o

Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
Iniversity Autonomy
M. de Silva
t thank the organisers of this Seminar for the invitation frning and for choosing a nice “non-controversial' topic 2t in comparison to Dr. Kalpage's theme - the politics autonomy so far as Sri Lanka is concerned is far more
ersity autonomy has various meanings. as many meanings instance, in the continent of Europe the concept differs tonomy as it is understood in the United States, where Ler education to the other. But I will go so far as to say autonomous, they are the great private universities of the ld them in this.
f is that it is often linked with the concept of academic I would insist that the concept of academic freedom can Sed countries accept without reservation. You cannot do not accept the principle of academic freedom i.e. the :ct in the way he wishes to teach it, to publish a document by the university or by the government; of course, there is bular or unorthodox they may be, will not stand in the rsity teacher is often referred to as a person who thinks hing wrong with him.
ething that can be dealt with in a mere 30 minutes. One is what I propose to do. I spoke earlier of the various the type of university autonomy that we have in this have been greatly influenced by the British practice.
matter of controversy. For many centuries Britain did ities survived in isolation as independent self-financed Cambridge in the 12th Century no new universities were 1 several were established in Scotland during this period. ly isolated there were few threats to their autonomous at were called the liberties of a medieval corporation. amental freedoms that we talk of today in various Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were given a '50s. The preservation of autonomy of these universities Cumulated considerable wealth through donations and 'n survived partly because they were isolated, partly versity education itself was confined to a small elite. did not mean that Parliament could not intervene in parliamentary intervention was provoked by religious orthodoxy on Oxford or Cambridge whenever these two xy. Also there were occasions when the intervention was f Oxford and Cambridge had ceased to be real universities.

Page 13
The problem of university autonomy can be vie’ the University and the State. This problem was not a In the second half of the 19th Century there was a ne and wealthy merchants. This was the origin of the Uni were federal Universities. Unlike Oxford and Cambric
There was now a greater demand for Universi forefront of university education in the world and not
The point I wish to emphasise is that the r relatively uncomplicated till after the first World War recognised that private sources by themselves, whether t finance universities. They could no longer provide th their staff and to finance research. The new benefa chanelled through the novel device of a University Gran of the British Treasury. The Treasury Minute of that
“to inquire into the financial needs of Unive government as to the application of any grants that may
This was once again a typical British device - problem being that once the state starts financing uni become very great. Therefore they resorted to the d normally distinguished perSons, serving on this Com developed about this University Grants Committee of set up under the Treasury and not under the Ministry conscious bid to protect university autonomy. The fa of Education did not extend beyond the boundaries C make grants to all British universities including the Scoil Committee came under the Treasury which had jurisd adopted the British used it as a means of protecting the the best possible expert advice on how to finance the
Between 1918 and 1962 there were a numb today came into existence after 1930. In terms of th are as followss
33% of finances provided up to 1914 50% of finances provided up to 1950 67% of finances provided up to 1960
With this increase in financing, state influen had been earlier. State influence on British universi considerably in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1962 the ter. expanded thus: "to collect, examine and make availab the U.K. and to assist in consultation with the univer execution of such plans for the development of the u to ensure that they are fully adequate to national ne functions of the University Grants Committee. This d has affected thinking on University Grants Committe tainly has influenced those who framed the present Un versity Grants Commission in this country they are mu

11
ved in one wayas the problem of the relationship between very serious one until the beginning of the 20th century. v development, civic universities funded by municipalities versities of Manchester, Durham and London all of which ge they did not propose any tests of religious orthodoxy.
y education. By this time it was Germany that was in the England.
elationship between the state and the universities was , when for the first time in the United Kingdom it was hey be municipalities or private individuals could no longer e vast sums of money which universities required to pay :tor was the state, and the money from this source was 's Committee. This was established in 1918 as a Committee
occasion reads as follows:
sity education in the United Kingdom and to advise the be made by Parliament to meet them'.
a pragmatic solution to a problem they recognised. The versities, pressure for state influence if not control would evice of a group of university teachers and a few others, mittee and advising the government. Some myths have 1918. The British decided that this committee should be 7 of Education and this choice was later interpreted as a ct of the matter is that the writ of the British Department of England to Scotland, whereas the Treasury wanted to ttish univerisities and for that reason the University Grants iction over the entire British Isles. Once this device was Universities from political interference and for obtaining universities.
er of changes. Half the British univesrsities that exist e money given to the universities by the state the figures
ce and state control became much more powerful than it ties through the University Grants Committee increased ms of reference of the University Grants Committee were ble information related to university education throughout 'sities and other bodies concerned in the preparation and niversities as may from time to time be required in order eds'. Here was a complete change in the powers and the finition of the powers of the University Grants Committee es in other countries such as India. In Sri Lanka it ceriversity Act. If we look at the powers given to the Unich the same.

Page 14
2
To give you an idea of what British academi like to read a brief extract from Sir Eric Ashby - “Ther which matter most when talking of university autonomy its students and its staff and to determine the cond autonomous university must be free to set its own stan autonomous university must be free to design its own cu certain constraints such as the requirements of profession The financial sanctions which will be imposed from ot medical school. Finally (and this is at the roof of the not inspect the accounts of the universities), an autonor or private sources must be free to decide how to alloc is the last pre-requisite for autonomy that is most in da that in 1961 or 1962 just before the dangers he referrec 1960s as a result of two things. The enormous increase to the universties and the great increase in the staff of power they took a number of decisions. First, of cou it was appointed by the Labour government or a Tory Commission. Their report was available to the Labo to ignore it. This report recommended the creation ( and that the University Grants Committee should be pl created a Ministry of Education and Science and plac more from the 1960s we have had the accounts of British Not only that, a number of British Parliamentary Co administration, including for instance the relationship of protest when the Prices and Incomes Board was a and they proceeded to do that. So if we look at the co and how it has changed we find. that in this country wi
There are three areas where the universities in
Appointments to the Staff - This is something political and communal considerations creepi world this is considered an essential ingredien interfere in this the less autonomous the unive
University Admissions - They have always beer C. R. de Silva has pointed out in his article " Journal of Social Sciences, This problem time it was the state that determined how
not mean that once the students were admitted of courses or the examinations the university c. courses. But there has been a change in that w the universities have lost their control over adım
Curriculum and Examinations - Here there has universities that prepared the syllabuses, exam
In this sense in two at least of these three majo in their own way as the universities in Britain.
There is also the question of the University Gr: Commission and not a Committee. This difference w assumption was that this Commission would have wide Since then of course there has been a change even in E Committee.

s themselves thought of University autonomy I would is a wide measure of agreement about the ingredients To be autonomous a university must be free to select tions under which they remain in the university. An lards and to decide to whom to award its degrees. An rriculum although it may in practice have to do so within al bodies which recognise the degree as a right to practice. tside to prevent the university creating for example a previously held belief in Britain that Parliament should hous university having received its income from the state ate it among the different categories of expenditure. It nger of erosion'. He was perfectly right. He wrote to overtook British universities. This happened in the in the number of students clamouring for admission the universities. At this time with the Labour party in rse, a committee was appointed - I don't know whether government, very likely it was the Tories - the Robbins ur government but like most governments they chose of a separate Ministry of Higher Education and Science aced under this Ministry. What happened was that they ed the University Grants Committee under it. What is Universities examined by the Public Accounts Committee. ommittees have investigated various areas of university between university staff and teachers. There was a howl sked to examine the salary structure of the universities ncept of autonomy as it was spelt out by Sir Eric Ashby a have followed more or less the British pattern.
Britain have a great degree of independence.
which universities have to protect in order to prevent ng into the selection of academic staff. All over the t of autonomous universities. The more outside bodies rsity becomes.
a matter of politics in Sri Lanka as my colleague Prof. the Politics of University Admissions' in the Sri Lanka became a political issue from the 1960s. From that many students the universities would admit. That does to the university the state had any influence on the choice onducted to select students for the various honours there university admissions are concerned, since the 1950s issions, or at most they have had to share it with the state.
been no infringement of university autonomy. It is the ined students etc.
r arcas the universities of this country are as autonomous
Ints Committee. In Sri Lanka and in India it is a Grants as something deliberate because in these countries the powers than the British Grants Committee had in 1918. Britain in regard to the powers of the University Grants.

Page 15
As far as the present Act is concerned there ar in this country and in India for instance. As a concessio Grants Commission the right to make appointments to of non-academic staff lies with the Grants Commission a substantial erosion of university autonomy and ther situation exists. In some of the state universities in In even this is rapidly changing.
The other basic thing is that the University G1 of two years certain special powers, which are by thei the present University Act gives universities in Sri Lank
The relationship between the state and the uni act. The Minister in charge of Higher Education is el versity Grants Commission in matters such as universit. three areas are crucially important as far as this count universities have lost their control over university adm a political consideration in this country. The state p naturally insists on a certain accountability. The unive Accounts Committee and the Committee on Public En
Let me conclude by saying that as far as Uni of a genuinely autonomous university in the British tra from 1942 to 1966. In drafting the constitution for that dations of the Buchanan - Riddell Commission but he important changes was to protect the University fron politicians into the University Court and Council. In Senanayake and Dr. N. M. Perera were serving in univ versity at first hand. Jennings' innovation is now held as a means of solving the eternal problem of state press interference. Whether this devise will work in other ( Sri Lanka.
I would like to end on that note. Once agai in this country with that in Britain today there is no sub enjoy here and the autonomy that the universities in Bri of the Grants Committee in Britain and the University
If the state or government wishes to prote whether there is a charter or not, whether the university h autonomy then no charter on earth will protect the un we operate on the basis of a pronouncement from H. protect the autonomy of the universities.
Professor Kalpage has indicated in his talk til present University Act, and that in doing so one obje by Universities. Thank you.

13
e a number of differences between autonomy in practice n to the Trade Unions the present Act gave the University D certain non-academic posts. In the event the control nd not the universities. By this change there has been a e are very few countries in the world where this dia there is a transferability of non-academic staff- but
ants Commission in Sri Lanka is given over a period r very nature temporary. Apart from these limitations a as much autonomy as the Indian or British universities.
iversities is spelt out in sections 19 and 20 of the present mpowered to issue written general directives to the Uniy places, the medium of instruction and finances. These ry is concerned. As I pointed out earlier since 1960 the issions to the state. The medium of instruction is also rovides 98 to 100 percent of the finances, therefore it rsities are accountable to Parliament, through the Public terprises.
versity autonomy is concerned, if you want an example dition there was the University of Ceylon which existed university, Sir Ivor Jennings made use of the recommenalso made certain changes of his own. One of the most n political interference by getting the most influential the 1950s and 1960s politicians of the calibre of Dudley 'ersity bodies and learning about the problems of a Uniup as an example to other countries of Asia and Africa Lure on the universities and protecting them from political countries one does not know but it certainly worked in
in I repeat that in so far as we compare the situation stantial difference in the autonomy that the universities tain enjoy nor is there any great difference in the powers f Grants Commission.
:ct University autonomy and to respect it, it will do so Las a Council or not. If it decides not to respect university iversities from the state. In so far as we are concerned E. the President that the policy of this government is to
hat the U. G. C. intends to propose amendments to the ctive would be to extend the area of autonomy enjoyed

Page 16
4
SESSION
The Operation Of
Prof. S.
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, my duty
Before I talk in terms of the operation of the the Act and in doing so, let me recall some of the dev this country.
When we joined the university in 1942 we wit country, viz. the amalgamation of the University C examinations and the Ceylon Medical College which wa
The Act connected with this was drafted by no by the various speakers, the autonomy that existed in continued in the sixties and in the seventies until there
In 1972 another Act was passed i.e. Act No. 1 rities which were in the original Act of Sir Ivor Jennin
In framing the new Act - Act No. 16 of 1978, rities, and I would say the restoration of university autor de Silva.
In Act No. 16 of 1978 the following bodies Council, which is the executive body, the Senate and representcd.
There are some other important features of appointment of the University Grants Commission. terms the role of the U. G. C. and the responsibilities feature as far as the U. G. C. was concerned.
With regard to appointments to the staff of th hands of the universities. As Prof. Kingsley de Silvam staff, the U. G. C. was responsible for appointments grades of non-academic staff. These provisions were certain advantages.
One unusual feature was the creation of an Ap of the U.G.C., I thought would be very valuable. But thoughts on this. Members of the Appeal Board are must be an academic.
Another new feature is the Committee of Vic we have a well organised system of Student Assemblic representative of the student body and no one faculty numbers. This is an important new feature. w

Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
The University Act
Wijesundera
today is to talk on the operation of the University Act.
University Act, I would like to discuss some features of 'elopments that have taken place in higher education in
nessed a significant landmark in higher education in this college which was preparing students for the London s founded in 1870, to form the new University of Ceylon.
ne other than Sir Ivor Jennings. Since then as mentioned the universities has gradually eroded and this process was hardly any autonomy to speak of.
of 1972. Under this Act many of the bodies and authogs ceased to exist.
there was restoration of many of these bodies and authonomy too under Section 10, as mentioned by Prof. Kingsley
were re-introduced - the University Court, the University the Academic Committee where all the faculties were
the new Act which must be mentioned. One is the For the first time the Act defined clearly in very specific and powers of the Minister and this is a very important
e universities a good part of the responsibility was in the entioned, in the case of certain categories of non-academic
A Transfer Board was also introduced for the lower introduced at their own request in order to give them
peals Board which, during the short period I was a member after functioning as a Vice Chancellor, I now have second appointed by the Minister and at least one of the members
:e Chancellors and Directors. Finally, for the first time is and they are so constituted that they will be truly like the Arts Faculty can dominate by virtue of large

Page 17
In the operation of the Act there has been a Briefly, University Act No. 16 of 1978 was passed by E December 1978. It was not possible to change over im Act was initially by an order of the Minister of Higher was the appointed date for certain provisions, i.e. Parts 1 to come into operation. Part 1 provides for the establi and functions of the Grants Commission and Part 3 the ment of the universities, campuses and university Part 10 gave special provisions to the U.G.C pending th
On 1st January, 1979 the provisions of other January was constituted without any difficulty all the uni
Under the new Act Universities are functionin recent past. What is the reason for this? My answer to executive is on the spot whereas under the previous Act V in Senate House and the Universities found it impossib it was nearly impossible for one person to handle all thi
Once the Vice Chancellors were appointed the Deans of Faculties. Then the members of the Senates place so smoothly that Departments, Faculties, Senates met within one month of the new Act coming into op
To give some figures for Colombo University appointed from outside the university from eminent per Court comprises about 40 persons-the Chancellor wh members, representatives of the academic staff, one fro from the administrative staff, one person from the no assembly, three members of Parliament and representativ
The Councils therefore are comprised of emi the Court is a fully representative body with a reasonable about 100 members) and it is functioning very effectively bodies i.e. the Senate and the Council have several Com of the Faculties contribute a great deal, I would say e functioning of the Faculties.
As a result of the devolving of responsibility on interest and enthusiasm in the universities. In the pa university administration and the rest of the university not involved in the decision-making process.
I will now speak of some of the changes that Vice Chancellor and a member of the Committee of Vice i.e. new courses, new building programmes etc. The at extent have begun to have more faith in the governing a representatives can discuss matters freely with the Vice are and student demands are not as unreasonable as peo of obtaining accommodation in the city and you will a undergraduates to find suitable accommodation.
I will touch briefly on what has been done in

15
ery smooth transition from the old to the new system. 'arliament and certified by the Speaker on the 21st of mediately as it would have created a vacuum, so the new Education gazetted on the 22nd of December and this ,2,3,4, and Part 11 and Section 143 of Part 10 of the Act, shment of the U.G.C., Part 2 defined the powers, duties powers of the Minister. Part 4 deals with the establishcolleges, Part 11 was interpretation and Section 143 of e appointment of the various bodies.
parts of the Act came into operation. On the 1st of versities, the Chancellors and the Vice Chancellors.
g much more effectively and smoothly than in the very his is simply that the Vice Chancellor who is the principal ve had one Vice-Chancellor situated in a remote place le to get things done because of this remoteness. Also
problems of all the campuses.
y proceeded to appoint the Heads of Departments and and Councils were appointed. The changes took and Councils of all Universities were constituted and eration.
, the Council consists of 21 members, 12 of whom are 'sons, lawyers, businessmen and educationalists. The o presides, the Vice Chancellor, the Council of 21 m each faculty,two members of the Senate, one person in-administrative staff, two members from the student es from social and cultural organisations.
lent persons and are functioning adequately. Likewise : number of members i.e. about 40 (in the past there were unlike in the past. Another reason is that each of these mittees so that the work is well distributed. The Deans ven more than the Vice Chancellors, to the smooth
these various bodies and committees there is a revived st the Board of Governors were solely responsible for did not know what decisions were taken there and were
I have observed from my personal experience as a Chancellors. Every university is keen on re-organisation litude of students too has changed. Students to a large thorities. We have student counsellors and the student
Chancellor. You realise how inadequate the facilities ple believe them to be. You all know the difficulties ppreciate how expensive and impossible it is for young
implementing the Act.

Page 18
1. Academic freedom has been restored to the univers
.
Building programmes have been worked out and t Colombo we have building plans for all the Facultic buildings and this will be followed by buildings for t
Almost every university has had at least one convoc. convocations have not been held since 1967. In Co released and the convocation for 1979 already held From 1976 backwards we will merely award degree (
3
To summarise, the objectives of the Univerisity Gran
1. Planning and co-ordination of university educatio
2. Apportionment of funds to the various higher educ
3. Maintenance of academic standards in higher ed
4. Regulation of administration of higher education
I have no quarrel with most of these function higher educational institutions, I know the provision was versities are funded by the government unlike in countries are available and fees are levied. Here tution is free al Hence we have to agree that for the time being at least th tration of these funds. I don't want to go into the prop when the U.G.C. has raised certain questions.
But I am glad to say that the U.G.C has embar it won't be very long before the U.G.C. will merely dole ( disburse the funds, guided by the financial code and the

ties and there is no interference in appointments etc.
his year sufficient money has been voted for them. In S. This year work commenced on the Science Faculty he Faculties of Education, Arts, Law etc.
tion - some have had more than one. In some places
lombo the examinations were held in 1979, results were We have also held convocations for 1978 and 1977.
:ertificates as convocations are expensive items.
ts Commission are
to conform with national policy.
ational institutions.
ucation.
al institutions.
|S. Regarding item (4) regulation of administration of necessary because of the fact that in Sri Lanka all uni
like United Kingdom where private sources of funding
ld we have to depend for every cent on the government.
he U.G.C has to exercise some control over the adminisriety of this. Even our Council has been at times upset
ked on a programme and once it is accomplished I hope but the money and allow the university administrations to } administrative code. Thank you.

Page 19
SESSION 1
Disci
Prof. S. R. Kottegoda
On the question of functions of the Universit the maintenance of academic standards and uniformity University of Colombo has been affected due to other according to their whims and fancies. Therefore I h University Grants Commission.
Prof. H. Crusz
I would like some clarification regarding appoil who is an important person in the university administra to make this appointment.
Dr. S. Kalpage
According to Section 38 of the University Act, but by the Council of the University on the recommenda of the university academic staff. But it is true that the by the U.G.C.
Prof. H. Crusz
Then all I would like to say is that we will wait matters it is not the Pope at home that we should worry about our Pope, the Vice Chancellor, but the Pope in ch U. G. C. he is therefore responsible to the U.G.C. and 1 in a crisis of authority which has been detrimental to th said in his talk. Coming to the question of smoothnes the University. There must be a certain amount of disag there is something wrong somewhere in the system. Nairobi has said that it is the function of a university to
Prof. W. M. K. Wijetunga
One would expect that if there are ideal con institution to function smoothly there should be inbuil the experience in the 1960s when Sir Nicholas Attygall in the University Act, the exercise of power was dict of autonomy to the universities there could come a tir
I am not a member of the Senate or the Council I made representations to the Vice Chancellor but my r the Council. I thought the next best course of action which I did. The University Grants Commission repl. matter and referred me to the Senate and Council of Vice Chancellor but once again with the same result. being considered, there should be some provision where of the Vice Chancellor as well as the Senate and the C.
Mr. Jinadasa Perera
As the Head of the institution concerned in I tabled all the documents before the Council and I bel

17
Chairman: DR. P. R. JAYEWARDENE
1ssion
Grants Commission mentioned by Prof. Wijesundera in appointments is extremely important. In the past the campuses setting up various faculties and departments, ope that this function will not be removed from the
itments to the non-academic staff. If we take the Bursar tion, is it correct for the University Grants Commission
the appointment of a Bursar is done not by the U.G.C. tion of a Selection Committee which consists of members first Bursar like the first Vice Chancellor is appointed
for the future. The crux of the problem is that in these about but the Pope next door We have nothing to worry arge of the money feels that since he is appointed by the not to the Vice Chancellor. This has sometimes resulted Le smooth running of the university as Prof. Wijesundera s I would not like to see things running too smoothly in greement because if anything runs too smoothly and nicely in fact a Professor of Government in the University of see that things do not run too smoothly.
ditions any institution can function smoothly. For an checks and balances in the exercise of power. We had e was Vice Chancellor that whatever provisions existed atorial and not as desired. Now with the restoration ne when this same experience would be repeated again.
but I had a grievance against the Head of the institution. epresentations were not tabled either at the Senate or at l, was to appeal to the University Grants Commission, ied that it was sorry it had no powers to look into this he University. I again made representations to the Hence I feel that if amendments to the existing Act are certain checks and balances are exercised over the powers puncil.
this instance I would like to say with all resonsibility that ieve they have decided on an appropriate course of action.

Page 20
13
Demand For Un
Prof. (Mrs.)
My topic, demand for university education, ap by the ever-increasing demand for higher education hav today. It is apparent that this question illustrates vei tunities or the right to education by the resource constra is aggravated by the escalation of demand within a relati between economic and social development during the
In countries with a record of stable developn process and numerous mechanisms exist which help to In Sri Lanka's educational history population growth, to accelerate demand in an economy which underwent demand for higher education is necessary for an unde influenced these processes are equally relevant and co,
Some of our current problems stem inevitably system to a relatively more mass-based system over a p created in 1942 as successor to the Medical College beg the colonial administration, and the University College wil the Ceylonese elite for a local superstructure to the ed was geared to select and train local personnel for the ad was linked with social and economic mobility and had cribed by the limited size of the western-oriented clien
The nineteen forties and fifties also saw the ac several developments - universal franchise and the res welfare including education, pressure for the eliminatio reinforced by the colonial education system and the pos and economically developing society. The concept of led to the introduction of free primary, secondary an medium of instruction to the national languages.
The First Phase (1942 - 1957)
University education was relatively less affectex The quantum of applicants depended on the flow from access span of ten years followed by selective senior se medium ensured that free secondary and higher educ educated elite.
Numbers applying for admission to the unive to 1171 in 1946 and 2289 in 1957 - a very slow increase in policy till 1954'. The original target was a residential admitted in 1945, and 438 in 1950, and the intake was applicants were admitted in the second year but as a resu after 1945 fluctuated around 25 to 30 percent until a mc enrolment increased very slowly from 904 in 1942 to 1 percentage of students enrolled in arts courses remaint

Chaitirman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
iversity Education
S. Jayaweera
pears to be of crucial importance as the problems created e reached almost nightmarish proportions in Sri Lanka y clearly the limitations imposed on educational opporints of a low income country. In Sri Lanka the problem ely short period of about two decades and the imbalance se years.
hent, increase in the demand for education is a gradual adjust demand and supply without excessive disruption. social policy and rising expectations have combined little change. I feel, therefore that a brief review of the rstanding of the current situation since the factors that gent today.
from the transformation of an elitist-oriented education
eriod of about 20 years. The University of Ceylon was in in 1870 to meet the need for medical manpower under nich was established in 1921 in response to the demand from ucation system. Modelled on metropolitan institutions it ministration and the professions. University education therefore a high premium, but the demand was circumstele.
:celeration of social demand for education as a result of ultant political priority given to mass needs and social n of cultural and religious inequalities which had been sitive role expected of education in a politically emergent education as a fundamental right and as a social service higher education and to the progressive change in the
i by these changes during the first phase from 1942-1957. , the school system. The Sri Lanka system of an open condary education and higher education in the English ation widened only marginally the size of the English
rsity increased from 744 in 1945 (before free education) demand. The university adopted a restrictive admissions university of a thousand students, 289 students were limited to around 500 till the mid fifties. Over half the ilt of the emphasis on selectivity, the percentage admitted ore liberal approach was adopted after 1954. University 302 in 1946 and 2950 in 1958, twelve years later. The 2d around 40% during this period (Table 1).

Page 21
TAB
Student Enrolment - Uni
Year No. of No. % A Applicants Admitted A
1942
1943 350 197
944 606 268
1945 744 289
1946 1171 372
1947 1384 412
1948 1530 343
1949 1565 377
1950 1443 438
1951 1804 508
1952 2026 520
1953 2132 514
1954 2053 607
1955 2096 658
1956 2137 752
1957 2289 766
The Second Phase (1958 - 1966)
The demand which escalated in the late nimet today, and the two factors which precipitated the pres expansion of the senior secondary school population .
This second phase from 1958 to 1966 saw t pressure on the university. The sharp reduction of the to rapid increase in population and to an average rate from 1953 - 63 and 2.2% from 1963 - 71 (Table II). P in the early years, and the proportion of the age group 1953. The impact of free education had been limited instruction in the secondary school. This barrier was the national languages, grade by grade from 1953 to 19 classes (Grade 11 and 12) which had hitherto been conf upgraded to meet the demand from the increasing nur who now had the opportunity of continuing their instruction in Grades 11 and 12 in 1958 and 1959. En 1959 and increased sixfold by 1964 as senior secondary 1942, 30 schools had presented candidates for the Unive Candidates appearing for the University Entrance Exal and 31,350 appeared for the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) population explosion began to reach the top of the sec

19
AE 1
ersity of Ceylon (1942-1957).
pplicants % Total %. Enrolled dmitted Arts Entrants : ನಿ ಜ್ವbased
904 43.8
56.3 35.5 904 37.2
44.2 50.7 996 36.7
38.8 48.4 1065 35.2
31.7 54.0 1302 39.7
29.7 56.5 1554 41.6
22.4 46.4 1612 42.6
24.0 58.0 1844 43.8
30.3 51.8 2036 38.5
28.1 50.9 2210 41.1
25.6 51.4 2232 40.6
24.1 48.6 2392 39.6
29.5 49.4 2434 40.8
31.3 44.5 2431 40.8
35.1 46.8 2534 40.1
33.4 50.9 2718 40.3
Source: Council Reports, University of Ceylon, 1942 - 1957.
een fifties and early sixties continues uninterruptedly till sure from the school system - population growth and the
are also relevant to our present crisis.
he immediate repercussions of demographic and social death rate in 1945 - 46 along with a stable birth rate led of population growth of 2.8% from 1946 - 53, 2.6% 'rimary and junior secondary enrolment expanded rapidly 5-14 years in schools increased from 57.6% to 71.6% in by the use of the English language as the medium of removed by the change in the medium of instruction to 59. The greatest impact was on the University Entrance ined to English medium secondary schools. Schools were nbers who qualified at the G. C. E. (Ordinary Level) and 2ducation as a result of the change in the medium of rolment in these grades more than doubled from 1957 to education was extended in different parts of the island. In rsity Entrance Examination; 319 schools did so by 1960. mination increased from 2289 in 1957 to 11,870 in 1962 examination held in 1964 (Table III) - when the post 1946 ondary schools.

Page 22
20
This accelerated demand for university educat also by the winds of social change. The politico-social to cultural and social imperatives for the elimination opportunity was compounded by the fact that the ur employment. The university succumbed to governm for the first time the view that excluding qualified can
TTA
Population 192
5 - 14 years Year
1921 1,127,905
1946 1,617,005
1971 3,280,007
Source: Census Reports, Departm
The result was in the nature of an explosion i demand from senior secondary schools the state establ and Vidyalankara Universities at two traditional ce of about 2000 by 1966. The University of Ceylon ti was abandoned in 1961, and second Faculties of Medic opened. Economic considerations led to the rejectio. Galle, Jaffna and Kurunegala. Pressure was exerted or in 1964 and accommodation improvised at the forme thus trebled its enrolment from 3684 in 1960 to 10,723 stered as a separate university from 1967.
TAB
School Enrolm
Year Enrolment Enrolment Err Grades 1-8 Grades 9-10 Gra
1952 1,415,664 69,233
1955 1,530,500 114,900
1957 1,615,117 151,265
1959 1933,740 191,760
1961 2,062,000 232,700 1.
1963 2,180,552 245,457 2
1965 2,215,585 294,253 2

ion posed problems for the university which was buffeted environment of the post 1956 era gave added momentum of privileges and inequalities. The issue of educational liversity provided access to prestigious and remunerative ent and social pressure and university reports reflected didates was tantamount to social injustice?.
LE II
1 - 1971
15-19 years 20 - 24 years
413,767 441,573
680,614 641,571
1,359,963 1,270,689
ent of Census and Statistics, Colombo.
in university enrolment from 1958 to 1966. To meet the ished two new Sinhala medium universities, the Vidyodaya ntres of Buddhist education, each with an enrolment tied to keep pace with demand. The residential principle cine and Science at Peradeniya and Arts at Colombo were n of tentative proposals to establish 3 new universities at the university to accept the 6359 candidates who qualified r race-course for this purpose. The University of Ceylon i in 1965, and the campus at Colombo had to be admini
LE III
ent (1952 - 1965)
olment Enrolment No. of No. of candi
de 11 Grade 12 candidates dates UE/
G.C.E. (O.L.) G.C.E.A.d.Level
2,955 2,387 52,992 2,026
4,500 2,900 60,052 2,096
4,184 2,762 101,337 2,289
9,899 6,173 114,504 3,938
3,400 9,600 154,813 6,547
1,185 13,494 191,698 11,542
0,103 26,250 222,522 31,199(A.L.)
ce: Administration Report, Director of Education, Colombo.

Page 23
Admissions to all universities increased to 36 enrolment reached a peak in 1965-14,422 (Table IV). it is significant that the percentage of applicants who 1964 and 1966.
TAB
Enrolment in U
Year No. of No. % A
Applicants Addmitted ad
一
1958 3,164 886
1959 3,938 1189
1960 5,277 1812
1961 6,544 2423
1962 11,870 2551
1963 11,542 2613
1964 31,350 3382
1965 31,199 6359
1966 31,432 3656
The newly upgraded Maha Vidyalayas had n lacked resources for the expansion of science course channelled to arts courses. An imbalance was theref by the change in the relative proportion of arts stude
The Third Phase (1967 - 1979)
The high population growth rate which cor after 1966 to the present but declining age-specific part to stabilize the demand for higher education from 196 factors such as declining revenue and the spectre of sixties led the state, which now controlled university from 1966 to 1977. University enrolment thus declini (Table V).
It must be noted here that while over-all unem opportunities to keep pace with population growth, a crucial issue was caused at least partly by the delibe graduates) and recruiting as far as possible the G.C.E. form of cheap labour.
About 90% of aspirants to university edu were rejected annually during these years. The Exte: cater to the needs of those who had qualified but co Technology campus near Colombo and the new can
The situation worsened in the seventies and disparity between the number of aspirants and those system at various times leading to "artificial” swelling

21
56 in 1966 (except the bulge in 1965) and total university Despite this response of the universities to public demand entered the universities had declined to just over 10% in
LE IV
liversities (1958-1966)
ဂျိုးမွိုးtS Arts en់ in 贺မြို့မြို့
Universities COSES
28.0 49.7 2,950 42.0
30.0 54.5 4,039 55.0
34.3 61.0 4,723 57.5
37.0 63.3 6,206 63.6
21.4 77.4 7,816 62.9
22.6 75.1 9,928 69.5
10.7 77.9 14,210 75.9
20.3 84.6 14,422 76.
11.6 78.4 14,287 75.8
Source: Senate House, University of Sri Lanka, Colombo.
Lo provision for science education and as the universitics s the increasing demand for university education was ore created between arts and science university education nts from 42% in 1958 to 76% in 1965.
tributed to escalating demand has continued to operate icipation rates in primary and secondary education helped 6 to 1970. Meanwhile economic constraints caused by graduate unemployment which had surfaced in the midadmissions, to "freeze' the annual intake to about 3500 2d to 11,548 in 1969 and remained around 12,000 till 1976
ployment was a consequence of the failure of employment he problem of unemployed arts graduates which became rate policy of overlooking graduates (including education (Ordinary Level) qualified to the teaching profession as a
:ation and over 75% of those qualified for admission nal Agency of the University was established in 1972 to uld not gain admission to the six campuses (including the pus in the North).
has assumed crisis proportions today with the increasing selected. School reforms led to tinkering with the school of the enrolment at Grades 11 and 12 since 1975.

Page 24
22
TA
Student Enrol
No. of Year Enrolment Enrolment candidates S Grade II Grade 12 G.C.E.(A.L.) ad Examination ! Un
1965 20,103 26,250 31,199
1966 20,002 24,701 31,432 3
1970 22,537 23,075 30,973 3
1972 21,625 27,591 31,411 3
1974 30,920 34,678 41,405 3
1975 36,221 41,054 48,432 3
1976 34,024 52,091 62,199 3
1977 34,684 52,252 72,474 3
1978. 96455 81,504 74,577 4.
1979 80,047 82,973 101,015 5
Source: School Census, M Office, University Gra *G.C.E. (A.L.) Apri
The amalgamation of Grades 1 and 2 in 1964 increased the number of G.C.E. (Advanced Level) cand 17,000. In 1976, 40% gained admission at the first at large number of repeaters were inevitably added to each low ability had deprived many of these students of ur
The last straw appears to be the combined o. competing for university education this year. Access NCGE and HNCE reforms. Grade 12 enrolment do enormous pressure on accommodation in schools. 10 Examinations held in 1979. The intake has been inci but a senior secondary student in Sri Lanka has a one i and less than 20% of those “qualified' can gain adr
Some relevant factors
Two factors merit consideration. As the dec the late eighties on the size of the school population: still bedevil the question of university expansion, the d adequate provision will continue to be an acute problen It has also to be remembered that the pressure would did not take the form of a pyramid in which 15% of a the way and another 20% are "pushed out' at Grade group receive a university education - one of the low indicates a high proportion of waste of potential and
At the same time, despite graduate unemplo aspirations in Sri Lanka. Demand for the output of poor absorptive capacity of the economy but social d wide wage and salary differentials exist and other econ

BLE V
ment (1965 - 1979)
ဖိန္ဓိုရိုဒ် % Appli- % Arts Total %, Enrolled in mitted to | cants ad- Entrants enrolment Arts based versities mitted in Univer- courses
Sities
656 11.7 78.4 14,287 75.8 457 0.9 72.4 11,813 7.2
338 10.8 67.1 12,074 65.2
532 11.2 63.7 12,165 62.7
482 8.4 59.7 12,648 60.4
794 7.8 63.2 13,153 61.6
721 5.9 58.6 14,146 60.6
831 6.7 61.0 15,931 63.3
,000 6.4 61.1 16,346 62.8
inistry of Education, Colombo nts Commission, Colombo.
1979 and August 1979
brought two age cohorts into Grade 12 in 1975-76 and
lidates to 62,199 and those qualified for admission to over tempt, 43.7% at the second and 15.6% at the third?. A year's aspirants since restricted opportunities rather than liversity education.
nslaught of the two groups (GCE and NCGE qualified)
to senior secondary education was liberalized with the publed from 41,000 in 1975 to 81,504 in 1978, causing )1,015 candidates appeared for the two Advanced Level reased to 5000 and two new campuses have been opened in twenty chance of receiving a university education today mission.
lining birth rate in the seventies will have no impact till seeking university education, and as economic constraints isparity between the demand for university education and n in the eighties unless alternate strategies are conceived. l be much greater if the educational system in Sri Lanka in age cohort is "left out” at the base, 50% “drop out' on 19. At the apex approximately only 1% of 20 - 24 age est figures in even Third World countries, and one that consequent frustration.
yment the university is yet the chief goal of educational universities has declined in some fields as a result of the lemand for university education will continue as long as omic incentives are not sufficiently attractive.

Page 25
The second factor is that the Sri Lankan edu confined largely to formal schools and to the universiti vocational education was the weakest sector of the edu. quently. The second level vocational education instit secondary education - such as Technical and Agricultu in 1947 to a mere 15,000 in 1979. At tertiary level an the demand for university education. Opportunities a External Agency and SLIDE, which will be the nucleus concerns offering accountancy courses and Aquinas. T vocational education does not exceed 30,000 places, and school leavers.
In addition to the over-all problem of imbalanc to two other facets of this issue.
(1) Demand and selection in relation to subject areas
If I may recapitulate
(a) the proportion of arts students tended to b University of Ceylon initially absorbed two existing inst its population from well equipped secondary schools.
(b) this proportion exceeded 70% in the sixt the less expensive area of the arts curriculum.
Approximately 16% of over 9000 schools pres nation and only 5% of schools have Advanced Scienc incidence of unemployment among arts graduates, the e international labour markets and a deliberate policy in th and limiting the numbers of arts students admitted to l students enrolled in secondary schools and universities t
These developments have had their negative of arts students who qualify for admission and those v students who are generally from economically disadvan qualified for admission and only 62% of those who W. continuing problem.
An even more significant feature of the dem majority of those who seek admission to science-based
(a) medicine, in the case of those who qualif
(b) engineering, in the case of physical scien
While economic and social incentives such as h undoubtedly motivate the aspirations of parents and st petitive ethos and have adverse effects on other science
A further result of this popular demand for suc aptitude for science education. Almost all students w examination are persuaded by parents and school authori and interests. The consequences are that some of them to the universities. In educationally developed areas th pool from which it is intended to select categories of mi sociologists and other social scientists and linguists, with This, I feel is an unsatisfactory situation to which educa

23
cation system has been essentially a one-track system es. The structure of the colonial economy ensured that cation system and this situation has not changed subseutions which should siphon off students from senior ral schools - have increased their entrolment from 2500 effective pluralistic system has not developed to reduce re minimal - the Law College, a few Polytechnics, the
of the projected Open University, a handful of private he combined effort of different Ministries in non-formal these cater largely to school "drop-outs' and Grade10
e between demand and provision I wish to draw attention
elimited to around 40%, till the end of the fifties since the itutions (the Medical and University Colleges) and drew
tes as the extension of secondary school facilities was in
ent candidates for the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) examice classes even today. Nevertheless the relatively high conomic value of science-based courses in both local and e seventies of increasing the numbers of science students universities have helped to reduce the proportion of arts o about 60%.
consequences. The disparity between the proportions who are eventually selected creates frustration among taged areas and families. In 1975, 77% of those who ere finally selected were arts students. This could be a
and for university education is that the overwhelming courses have as their goal.
in biological sciences and
ce students.
lighly remunerative employment and substantial dowries udents, these predilections engender an unhealthy com-based courses. M
sh courses is the tendency to confuse general ability with tho are successful at the Jathika Navodaya Scholarship ties to select science courses irrespective of their aptitudes fail to develop their innate potential and are also lost he rejects are relegated to arts classes and become the anpower such as administrators, managers, economists, obvious implications for the quality of life in this country. tors should address themselves.

Page 26
(2) Regional Imbalances
I hope I am not encroaching on the next top. disparities between regions are the focus of attention tod context. These disparities are the consequences of unc decades of history. Education policies tend to lead to u positive and deliberate social and economic policies. I tunity at the senior secondary level but marked regic education and in science enrolment in the Advanced L.
TABLE
Regional Imbalank
Percentage Distr
Stu Educational Population Enr Districts Distribution Gr.
Col. South 20.9 2 Homagama Col. North Minuwangoda Kalutara Kandy Matale N’Eliya 9. Galle 10. Matara 11. Tangalle 12. Jafna 13. Mannar 14. Vavuniya 15. Batticaloa 16. Amparai 17. Kalmunai 18. Trincomalee 19. Kurunegala 20. Kuliyapitiya 21. Nikaweritiya 22. Chilaw 23. Anuradhapura 24. Polonnaruwa 25. Bandarawela 26. Moneragala 27. Kegalle 28. Ratnapura
参见
8.
Source: Ministry of Education School Census
During the last eight years ad hoc measures hav this situation. While such quotas do help to equalize c eligibility for university education are largely determined Indiscriminate and exclusive use of such a mechanism
For instance, Colombo with its position as th national life and its Superior educational facilities attrac well established schools and its applicants are inevitabl In 1969, 74% entrants to science-based university course In 1978 this proportion was 58% chiefly as a result of reg frustration not merely among urban aspirants but also a had been alientated from their own environment presur now rejected in favour of their "unselected peers in their

ic when I refer to regional imbalances. Educational lay but solutions need to be considered in a wider social ven socio-economic and educational development over nequal outcomes unless inequalities are also reduced by Educational expansion has extended educational opporonal imbalances yet exist in the provision of Science evel classes.
E VI
:es in Education
ibution - 1978
Student Univ. Ad
Lident Student Enrolment missions to oliment Enrolment Gr. XI-XI Science-based I-XI Gr. XI-XII Arts & Courses
Science Commerce (1977-78)
1. 28,3 25.6 37.8
5.5 5.4 6.7 4.5 7. 9 7,8 8.1 6.1 2.5 1.8 2. 2.1 2.6 O.9 1.3 1.2 6.2 6.4 8.3 4.7 5. 4.8 6.9 2.5 3.1 1.8 S. 1.4 6.3 17.5 3.4 20.2 O. 0.6 0.3 1.3 0.3 O.S 0.4 1.3 .9 2. 0.8 2.3 0.9 0.3 O.7 1.1
... 6 1.6 0.4 1.7 . 0.6 1.7 4.3 3.9 S.6 2.9 2S 1.9 3.1 2.1 O.7 1.6 3.2 1.9 2.5 1.6 3.8 ... O 2.5 1.2 1.6 0.5 0.7 O6 3.1 1.8 2.4 1.5 ... 6 0.4 0.7 0.6 5.2 4.9 6.9 2. 4.6 1.8 3.2 .4
s and University of Sri Lanka, Senate House.
e been taken through the use of district quotas to counter
opportunities for entry to universities, demand as well as by the quantum of facilities available at secondary level. could therefore create handicaps.
e administrative, professional and commercial centre of its a large number of able and motivated students to its ly disproportionate to its share of the total population. s were from schools in the Colombo and Jaffna districts. gulatory admissions policies, thereby creating widespread mong rural scholars in Colombo schools. These scholars mably to facilitate their educational progress but were
former schools.

Page 27
Moreover the concept of district quotas ignore quently limits access to universities to students from a fe
In districts such as Kegalle, Matara and Tan; relatively widely extended the imposition of district qui entry to arts faculties. These students who had availed t courses were thus denied access to universities.
Finally, district quotas are mere palliatives at be the real issue in Sri Lanka - adequate educational oppor forties secondary educational facilities were extended which brought educational opportunity to hitherto disad last ten years on inequalities in educational provision par have been made, however, to deploy available resource resources at district level centres to develop districts or population to alternative modes of education.
Conclusion
Demand for university education is relative to dependent on over-all development. I would emphasize, viewed not merely as one pertaining to secondary scho the needs of Sri Lankan youth between 15 and 25 years and non-formal educational services at secondary and tert
REFERENCES
1. Annual Reports of the Council of the University of Ceylon
2. Annual Reports of the Council of the University of Ceylon 1
3. University Admissions 1976 - A study concerning background in 1976. Planning and Programming Division, Ministry of
In 1978 there were 11233 students in technical education inst in Agricultural Schools under the Ministry of Agriculture.
4.

25
the existence of disparities within districts and conseW relatively well-favoured schools in each district.
galle where educational facilities in arts courses were otas has led to the rejection of many who qualified for hemselves of these facilities in the absence of alternative
st and reliance on such a mechanism appears to obscure Eunity at Secondary and tertiary levels. In the nineteen over the island through a network of Central Schools vantaged areas. Much discussion has centered over the ticularly at upper secondary level. Few positive efforts s in such a way as to ensure optimum utilization of
to channel the burgeoning secondary school student
he availability of educational facilities which is in turn however, that unlike in the past, this problem has to be Dls and universities alone but also in the total context of of age and the possible range of the delivery of formal iary level.
1946 - 1954.
956 - 1965.
characteristics of students selected for admission to the University Ecucation, Colombo 1977.
itutions under the Ministry of Higher Education and 631 students

Page 28
26
SESSION
Selections For Ur
Prof. C.
The question as to how students should be one of the most controversial of the problems we are di could have a discussion on University administration autonomy without raising voices or raising blood pre difficult to have a calm and objective discussion on se by looking at why this question has given rise to so m
The answer of course is not difficult to find. scientist or social scientist completely transforms mos has been a key avenue of social mobility in this count training in Sri Lanka, like in many parts of the third w industrialised West or in the commercial world. been able to enrol all those who wished to follow un Swarna Jayaweera has just illustrated to you by a numb of the demand for University admissions can be satisfie island. This is not because the supply of University pl presented by Prof. Jayaweera you will see that Univer during which period the population grew by less than and the demand for University education has risen e
This has given rise to increasingly stiffer con University education.
Before I go into the current scheme of selecti General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) Ex: key factor in the choice of new entrants to the Univers that though we tend to regard this as one examination Students take up very different combinations of subj instance, they may take up subjects in any one of the Arts or Commerce and the likelihood of their entering they have chosen. For example only 5.6% of stude admission to Universities in 1978/79 while 8.9% of tho successful. In comparison just 7.1% of those seeking their objective. Since the places available for one type with another type such imbalances are bound to exist
Secondly the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Exam Students sit for this examination in more than one m the examination in Tanlil, 59,938 in Sinhala and 1. examiner some attempt was made to maintain uniform as a control. This has become very difficult with the English medium group. In 1978, 1216 candidates w Tamil medium candidates entered a University; 3559 o number of Sinhala medium candidates were similarly was even smaller with only 2.5% or just 35 candidat may be accounted for by very obvious factors but the complicate the question of selections for University

Clairhan DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
liversity Education
R. De Silva
selected for undergraduate courses in the Universities is iscussing today. Indeed, it is quite concievable that We or University course structure or even on University ssure. In the recent past however it has become very lections for University education and I propose to start luch argument, heat and recrimination.
Training in the university whether as a doctor, engineer, it people's earning capacities in Sri Lanka. Education try during the past century and rewards for university orld, are proportionately much greater than in either the This would not have given rise to problems had We iversity courses in our universities. However as Prof. ar of statistical tables only an increasingly smaller fraction !d by the current placements at all the Universities in the aces has not increased. Indeed if you look at the figures 'sity admissions rose eleven fold between 1950 and 1979 three-fold. The problem was that secondary education ven faster.
npetition and a questioning of the basis of selection for
on I would like to point out some characteristics of the amination - for the performance at this examination is a ities. In the first place I would like to point out to you it is in a sense a combination of several examinations. acts at the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination. For following areas - Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, the University also differs according to the area of study its seeking to follow bio-science based courses secured se seeking to follow physical science based courses were admision to arts, commerce and law courses attained of course at the University is not readily interchangeable and even grow unless there is long-range planning.
hination is more than one examination in another sense. edium. In 1978 for instance 13,070 students sat for 438 in English. In the 1960s when I myself was an standards in all three media by using the English scripts rise in the number of candidates and the decline of the ho were examined in the Tamil medium or 9.3% of all ut of the Sinhala medium candidates or 5.9% of the total successful. In the English medium the success rate es being successful. This variation in the performance very fact that three media are involved tends to further admissions.

Page 29
Thirdly I would like to draw attention to the primarily the terminal test at the Senior Secondary Sc) who have completed twelve years of schooling have attai words primarily an attainment test. For the want of nation has also been adopted as a selection test for One of the most important of these as far as our discussio is an attainment test, a majority of successful candidat great difference in the overall ranking can be created by a on the examiners for precision in marking, a demand W a great quantum of essay-type tests. Thus inevitably (
I brought in these characteristics of the G.C. how complex the problem is and how difficult it is to just and acceptable to all concerned.
I would now like to turn to the present syster following areas are first determined - (1) Medicine and D. and Veterinary Science (3) Engineering and Applied Scie. and Management and (6) Arts.
Thirty per cent of these places in each category aggregate of marks in the four subjects they have sat for pective of the medium they have sat in. Another 55%, a given to each district depending on its total population, by the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination marks. filled from twelve so-called educationally backward dis
It has been argued that this system is a good open competition enables the best students to get in whi in outlying areas who do not have the same facilities a University education.
However I am myself convinced that the disac I do not have time to analyse the issue in all its aspects published on the subject. For the moment I will cont of candidates who enter the University under this system who failed to obtain 229 marks, or an average of 55.2 Courses. On the other hand a student from Badulla and another from Mannar with an aggregate of 165 of the Engineering Faculty the position was compar: average of 59.5% to qualify. In Jaffna the cut-off poi student from Badulla district entered with an aggregate nar entered with an aggregate of 162 or an average of
These statistics seem to clearly show that stu Jaffna districts are being rejected in favour of students v of these students who are being excluded are the very sa and Jaffna by the award of government scholarships. from the Universities while their less bright friends wh easier access to the University. The scheme of district endowed schools within districts like Colombo and Ja diminished.
Let me now turn to the question as to whether system. As a Sinhalese I approach the issue with con quota system does restrict the admission of Tamil st figures of admissions if analysed by media should not gi

27
fact that the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination is Lool level. It is intended to see whether those students ned some level of knowledge and analysis. It is in other iny other measure the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) ExamiUniversity admission. This has led to several problems. his concerned arises from the fact that as the examination es obtain marks around the 40%-50% range and thus a difference of a mark or two. This places a great demand hich cannot be satisfied especially as the examination has (uestions relating to examiner variability arise.
E. (Advanced Level) Examination primarily to illustrate brovide a single formula for admissions which would be
of selection. Every year the total placements in the 2ntal Surgery (2) Biological Sciences including Agriculture nces (4)Physical Sciences and Architecture (5) Commerce
are filled on the basis of students who obtain the highest at the G.C.E. (Advanced Level) Examination, irrese recruited on the basis of districts, the number of places Here too the choice for these places is determined Finally the other 15% of places in each category are stricts and these places too are filled in the same way.
one as the allocation of thirty per cent of the places for tle the allocation of quotas to districts gives the children is those around Colombo a chance to obtain access to
lvantages of the system clearly outweigh the advantages. but would like to refer those interested to several articles ent myself by pointing out disparities in the performance In 1979 candidates from Jaffna and Colombo districts % did not secure admission to the Medical and Dental district who obtained 151 marks or an average of 37.7% or average of 41.2% secured admission. In the case able. In Colombo you had to obtain 238 marks or an nt was even higher - 248 or 62.0%. On the other hand a of 170 or an average of 42.5%while a student from Man40.5%.4
lents with very good performances in the Colombo and fith relatively poor performances in other areas. Some lime students who were tempted into schools in Colombo
Thus unfortunate children find themselves excluded o remained in the so-called backward regions have an quotas is also particularly hard on students in less well ffna for their chances of entering University are further
Tamil medium students are discriminated against by this siderable caution. There is little doubt that the district idents from Jaffna in some fields. However, the 1979 ve Tamil medium students any great room for concern.

Page 30
28
In that year Tamil medium students secured 38.3% places in Engineering, 41.6% of the places in Biologic and 31.2% of the places in Physical Science. This w comparable to their last performance under open co
It is possible for me to merely raise the pr retreat but I think it is time we adopted a bolder appr many of us have come to realise that tinkering with increase in the quota here or there will only create a d advocated that we keep the G.C.E. Advanced Level aptitude test be administered to all successful at that versity education. I am aware that this kind of mea investigated by a competent group of officials and ac come up with a suitable test which will be easy to co medium in which the candidate was educated, any pe
Notes:
1. Percentages worked out by author from informatio
1691 and 6 Sept. 1979, Column 148.
2. Ibid. 6 Sept. 1979, Columns 146 - 148.
3. C. R. de Silva - The Politics of University Admi Policy in Sri Lanka 1971 - 1978, Sri Lanka Journ
C. R. de Silva - Weightage in University Admis Modern Ceylon Studies Vol. W No. 2 pp. 151 - 178 4. See Table I
5. Percentages worked by author from information i
Table : 1 UNIVERSITY ADMISSI
District Medicine and Bio. Science Eng Dental including and Surgery Vet. Science Scie
and Agriculture
11 1.
l. Kegalle 12 . . 203 18 . . .94
2. Ratnapura 14 ... 19 15 . . 72 3. Anuradhapura 05 ... 166 05 . , 144 4. Polonnaruwa 04. . . 159 O2 . . 49 5. Galle 18 . . 221 19 . . 209 6. Matara 2 . . 204 5 . . 196 7. Hambantota 9 . . 163 16 . . .50 8. Badulla 21 .. 53 16 . . 155 9. Monaragala O .. 7 ـــــــــ w8 ( 0. Kurunegala 23 . . 202 24 . , 90 1 1. Puttalam 07 . . 203 09 . . .85 12. Matale 08 . . 219 06 . . 203 13. Nuwara Eliya as . . -- 03 ... 159 WW 14. Kandy 28 . . 24 27 . . 206 15. Jafna 74 ... 229 100 . . 214 Í 6. Mannar 07 . . 165 11 , . 15 C 17. Vavuniya O2 . . 153 O3 ... 156 18. Mulaitivu O3 ... 177 O2 . , 153 19. Trincomalee 09 ... 157 11 , . 153 20. Batticaloa 33 . , 182 57 . . 150 21. Amparai 06 , ., 166 09 ... 148 22. Kalutara 17 . . 21 20 . . .99 23. Colombo 79 . . 229 99 . . 23 A.
24. Gampaha 24 . . 207 28 . . 19S
TOTAL 426 «s» ты 515 www.mw-norio 3.
Column I- Number selected for University Admissio

of the places in Medicine and Dentistry, 26.0% of the al Sciences including Agriculture and Veterinary Science as their best performance in almost a decade and almost mpetition in 1979/71.
oblem, underline, its complexities and make a diplomatic oach and tried to resolve the issue. For the last few years the present system of selection is no real answer. An ifferent kind of injustice. Thus I have, along with others, Examination as an achievement test and that a separate xamination in order to find out those best suited for unisure takes time to devise and that its feasibility is being ademics from Colombo. It is to be hoped that they will rrect and couched in such a form that irrespective of the rson would be able to mark the answer Scripts.
n in Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) 9 Nov. 1979, Column
issions: A Review of Some Aspects of the Admissions all of Social Sciences Vol. 2 No. 1 pp. 85 - 123.
sions: Standardization and District quotas in Sri Lanka,
in sources cited in footnote .
ONS 1979 BY DISTRICT & COURSES OF STUDY
ineering Phy. Science Arts including Commerce Applied including Law including
C Architecture Management
Studies
1. 1. 1. 11 1 11 6 . . 25 2 . . 192 91 . . 207 32 . . 28 12 ... 180 10 ... 160 79 . . 201 26 . . 206 ) .. 213 05 . , 155 95 . . 186 28 . . 192 D3 . . .91 O2 . . 49 38 . , 80 6 ... 189 9 . . 231 38 . . 209 12 . . 210 43 .. 224 6 . , 27 2 . . 197 93 . . 212 3O . . 227 O . . 152 13 ... 153 94 ... 200 28 . . 213 4 - 170 16 . . 147 135 . . 195 44 . . 192 1 ... 158 02 ... 141 48 . . 196 15 . . 189 22. . . 210 37 - 179 181 .. 21. 47 223 O . . 207 15 . , 88 44 . . 196 18 . , 220 97 . , 23 12 - . 19 44 . . 206 11 , . 199 158 . . 29 163 ... 84 154 . - 03 سیسسه : -- 26 . . 226 44 . . 201 52 . . 203 47 . . 214 56 . . 248 124 . . 218 128 . . 213 41 .. 227 23 ... 162 05 . , 174 24 ... 192 O5 ... 213 O2 ... 162 O3 ... 162 16 . . 187 08 . . 174 2 . , 186 O1 ... 173 09 186 O3 ... 190 2 ... 163 O5 165 47 ... 187 14 ... 167 21 .. 65 16 . . 158 8 . . 198 22 198 D5 ... 195 O .. 55 63 ... 182 21 .. 202 21 .. 222 26 . , 22 131 . . 21. 45 - 223 75 - 238 111 .. 214 217 . . 206 83 . , 225 25 . . 28 40 . . 194 152 . . 204 86 . , 227
39 «MamaMamama 580 --ས་ས་ ཡང་། 2-158 MXXX 742 ma-aa.
Column I - Minimum mark scored by student
admitted from district. Source : Hansard 9 November 1979 Columns 1693 - 1694

Page 31
SESSION 1
Disci
Prof. H. Crusz
An Aptitude Test for science students entering why the practical examinations were done away with - ti differences. If there were any defects in these practical were never asked or even ordered (and here we were and give a wider choice for example. It is true that rul have been taken into account and overcome in devisin
I also think that we have to be careful in talk and I am in favour of a sound system of standardisatic
Prof. K. Arudpragasam
I wish to congratulate Prof. C. R. de Silva for versity admission. Whatever we do with university e time to come the numbers that apply will always be mu the disparity in facilities avalilable in different parts o have to assume a normal distribution of intelligence and which does not take into consideration all these factors
The construction of Aptitude Tests is a highly have to be designed very carefully and accepted only if provide a better assessment than the present system. W on us. I agree that the present G.C.E. Advanced Level nation. A special multiple choice paper could be adde could be restricted to those who have got minimum reç special multiple choice paper.
Prof. S. R. Kottegoda
I agree that the G.C.E. Advanced Level is not to ask Prof. Jayaweera to comment on what effect the ch examination has had on the numbers admitted. Then started with the Aswa Vidyalaya in 1964. I am horrif Physiology for example is much higher than the Physio
YProi, A. YYahpe
There is a need for an Aptitude Test which li of candidates for admission. However there is need fo be used merely as a devise to eliminate students. The are suitable for admission are being shut out. Ther university education and the aptitude test must be desi

29
Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
ussion
the university has been proposed. I would like to know ey were by and large a good way of eliminating language tests they could have been remedied but the universities even prepared to take an order) to improve on the tests al areas have poor facilities but these shortcomings could g the practical tests.
ing of raw marks. Personally I do not believe in them }n. I agree that the main criterion should be merit.
his masterly analysis of the subject of selections for uniducation, certain things cannot change. For a long ch higher than the numbers that can be admitted. Also f the country will continue for some time. Thirdly we capability throughout the island. A university system is a failure and will be partial to one group or another.
skilled operation and should not be taken lightly. They we are absolutely sure that they could be relied upon to We must not permit any half-baked schemes to be foisted examination can only be used as an attainment examid on to the Advanced Level examination. Admissions uirements in the other papers and also done well in the
a good university entrance examination. I would like unge from a university-held to a government-held entrance yth that the Advanced Level is a qualifying examination ed that the Biology Syllabus for the Advanced Level in logy course taught in the Medical College.
ke the interview held in our time could help in selection ir caution in introducing an Aptitude Test; it should not test may in fact reveal that a large number of those who 2 must first be agreement on the aims and objectives of gned in relation to these objectives.

Page 32
30
Prof. K. Dissanaike
The question of using Aptitude Tests for univ regarding this have been expressed here today. I hap this question. I fear to think of the use of an Aptituc examination without prior testing. The proof of the pl Test for university admission I think the "test' has to be undergraduate studies in the university. In other count on students' admission test marks and their performanc correlate these performances and derive equations for sc to do then is to devise a test, administer it to the studen test and marks on their university performances and de these marks. The research for this kind of activity shou several groups of university admissions before such a between the present tests and an Aptitude test is that rather than specific subject matter on which they are ti examination performance of students, who are able by : have to sit for a very competitive examination. Thoses chance of being selected than those with real abilities w) country.
In the Aptitude tests we are concerned not wit future potential of a student and by this incans We may
Dr. W. Ramakrishnan
I would like to raise the issue - whether we are g tion of the country's needs to determine who is to be ad will then have his say but if the country's needs are co, Perhaps a significant new trend in this country might sol income groups. In the past people aspired for univers income. Now the situation has changed and people who making incomes comparable or even higher than the un the medical and legal specialists.
Another point I would raise is whether we ha institutions before we set up new institutions which req not expand the universities of Peradeniya and Colombo, t specialise in particular fields rather than set up full-fled cations of which would perhaps be the reduction in the
Prof. Sultan Bawa
The Aptitude test must be related to the questio) It should not be used as a means of keeping students awa be placed within the context of the total higher education group go into the university and the others by their own should be an option for a student who is performing wel of his choice at a later stage. At present once a student change. If we can work out an overall system with t different streams depending on performance the Aptitude strongly of the view that the Aptitude test should not be The function of the Aptitude test is to test something mo that he gets another classification which will make him

rsity admissions has been proposed and some opinions en to be a member of a Committee which considered e Test in place of the present G.C.E. Advanced Level dding is in the eating. If we were to use an Aptitude
first tested on the students who have been undergoing ies where tests are used for admission, data is collected e at the University. Statistical procedures are used to lecting students for future admissions. What we have s who have gained admission, collect the marks at the live equations on the basis of the relationship between ld go on for a number of years and the test tried out on est can be used for actual selections. The difference he Aptitude test is only concerned with basic abilities. sted. The weakness in the present system is that the iny standard, could be distorted by the fact that they judents who can memorise and cram facts stand a better no can make a definite contribution to the future of the
h the crammed facts but with the general abilities and be able to devise a better method of selection.
going to allow the demand for admissions or consideramitted. If it is only the narket demand the politician nsidered then the statesmen will come into the picture. ve the problem somewhat - that is the plight of the fixed ity education because it was a sure guarantee of a fixed are trained in skills such as carpentry and masonry are iversity trained fixed income groups, barring of course
ve studied the possibility of optimum use of existing uire capital expenditure and large resources, Can we he established universities, and let the other universities ged universities all over the country, one of the impli
social status of university dons.
n of total admissions to the higher educational system. ly from the university. The university system should al system so that there is an overall plan whereby one choice to other higher educational institutions. There 1 to transfer from one system to another system gets into a stream he has no choice or opportunity to he possibility of interaction and transfer between the test can then perform a useful function. But I am used merely to keep students away from the university. re than the examination performance of a student so productive in an area in which he has the greatest ability.

Page 33
Mr. Y. Duraiswamy
I will not go into the details of the Aptitud experts. The information given by Prof. Jayaweera a seeking admission only 5000 enter the universities. E number of students not able to get into the university. criterion for selection to the university. In the prese the fact that certain schools are not well developed improve and develop these schools but the main con island should be treated alike.
I mention this in particular because standa this was one of the major factors that created a feelin that every citizen in every part of the island has the fi been adopted is a good compromise, but I would si greater weightage and the quota for merit increased fi
Prof. A. A. Hoover
I want to emphasise one point that has been talks of the superior teaching facilities in certain areas are mainly responsible for the performance of the stuc I notice in Jaffna, where I am now working,that early i are attending these tutories. This is a new feature nations system has become so stereotyped that the pr student to pass the exams successfully? There must be sc examinations were also held, I was told that it was ver to a particular tutory in Wellawatte. I asked a Profess and replied that she too went to this particular tutory. type of tutor coming up and new tutories will be sprin Aptitude test.
Prof. W. M. K. Wijetunge
I wonder how practicable it is to restore Pra sitting, the limited facilities available at the universities to release results as soon as possible. The second p( lack of equal opportunities in each district,but even ir it not possible to grade all the schools in the island on from each grade of school? This will give an incentive such as Visakha, Ananda and Royal are being develo in the island.
I also have some apprehension and misgiving is a Grade V Scholarship examination held by the M down for selecting these scholars, which could be ad;
Dr. S. Bandaranayake
I would like to raise the problem of the poo of university teachers is that the standard of basic edu low level and is perhaps deteriorating every year. Peop secondary school level should give time for deliberati university stage but at the secondary school stage whe

3.
test. I will leave that in the hands of the educational di Prof. C. R. de Silva shows that out of 105,000 students ven if there is an Aptitude test there will still he a large
My main contention is that quality, should be the main ut conditions no doubt we have to take into consideration ind adequate facilities are not available. By all means sideration should be that any citizen in any part of the
disation which was practised earlier caused havoc and g of separation in the North. We must therefore ensure eling that he is treated alike. The quota system that has iggest a variation in the sense that merit should be given om 30% to 55%, leaving 30% for the district quota.
overlooked by the previous speakers. While everybody in Sri Lanka, they forget that it is not the Colleges that lents at the Advanced Level but it is the private tutories. n the morning and late into the night both boys and girls Is it because the G.C.E. Advanced Levil examiivate tutors have mastered the system and can coach the me truth in this because when sometime back the Practical y difficult to pass the Zoology Practicals unless one went or of Zoology whether this could be true and she smiled If we have an Aptitude test we will probably find a new ging up like mushrooms, training students for this new
ctical tests with the existing constraints - large numbers and the pressure from the Ministry of Higher Education bint is the question raised by Prof. C. R. de Silva - i.e. each district schools are not all of the same grade. Is a reasonable basis and set a minimum mark for admission : to upgrade schools. Today people say that only schools ped by every government at the expense of other schools
gs about the nature of the Aptitude test. At present there inistry. There must be a formula used and criteria laid apted for designing some form of Aptitude test.
r quality of secondary education. A common experience cation of students who enter the university remains at a le dealing with educational matters both at university and ons on this matter. The Centre of gravity is not at the re the pressures really exist.

Page 34
32
Prof. Jayaweera summed up admirably the cation, but what about the qualitative factors. One r ment avenues and other factors when we admit studen specific professions i.e. follow career oriented courses Architecture Faculty at Moratuwa University cond students on the whole are more committed. I think oriented courses.
Prof. R. Peiris
The Aptitude test for Architecture students there was a good correlation between performance a We have also designed our courses so that students ( various stages. I shall elaborate on these tests when at the University other than Medicine, Law and Eng
Prof. H. A. de S. Gunasekera
I would take issue with Prof. C. R. de Silva increase their earning capacity. The position today i. It is now more advantageous to own a tractor than t has fallen even from the social point of view.
Prof. Kingsley de Silva mentioned that in the ment of university autonomy when the salaries of the Board. I believe the general consensus here is that wh in Sri Lanka will welcome the prospect of a Prices ar incomes are totally inadequate. Prof. Kalpage has salary increases. When I made inquiries I was told th We will volunteer our services for this exercise if nec out as quickly as possible.
I fully agree with the views expressed by both given by Prof. C. R. de Silva shows that there is somet as well as the system of education and training which that the only criterion for university admission is me) was introduced to get over certain political difficulties. duced. It rests on a fundamental misconception that undeveloped. It is true that Visakha and Royal, Anat Central, Dematagoda Maha Vidyalaya and other poc privileged residents of Colombo by the quota system. scholarship examination where selected talented stude versity admission as they eventually become dropouts therefore appeal to you to abolish the district quota certain very real problems. But these problems must injustice on the poor and underprivileged children wh
Prof. C. R. de Silva
I think it will be possible in the near future will be done away with. But we have to face the rea to do away with it entirely, there are certain changes 1 with the District Quota system is that it presumes tha students sitting the Advanced Level in that district. or other reasons e.g. in Nuwara Eliya with a popul Level each year. But because of the Quota System, pl. for this small number of students and the minimum 1

quantitative factors relating to demand for university edumust also pay heed to the post-university situation, employits to courses in the university. Students who are geared to appear to have a much higher level of commitment. The ucts an Aptitude test for admission and we find that the Aptitude tests work better in the case of selection to career
was started in 1968. We found that the test revealed that it the Advanced Level and Ordinary Level examinations. 2ntering through the Aptitude test are able to diversify at I speak later on this afternoon on the professional courses gineering viz. Architecture and related fields.
on his statement that students went to the University to s different. The daily wage of a mason is about Rs. 40/- o become an engineer. Demand for university graduates
United Kingdom there was an uproar against the infringeuniversity staff were reviewed by the Prices and Incomes atever happens to university autonomy, university teachers ld Incomes Board to review university salaries, as present held forth some promises here and over the S.L.B.C. on at the implications are being worked out by the Treasury. essary and we hope that the implications will be worked
Prof. C. R. de Silva and Prof. Jayaweera. The statistics hing seriously wrong with the present system of admissions leads to university admission. Basically we must concede it. The District Quota system is a vicious system which I raised my voice against it at the time it was introColombo as a whole is well developed and other areas are da and Nalanda are developed but what about Maradana or schools. There is a gross injustice done to the underAnother injustice is perpetuated through the Navodaya ints are brought to Colombo and then deprived of uniat the Advanced Level due to the quota system. I would system. It may have been introduced as a palliative to be solved by other means without perpetrating this gross lo reside in so-called privileged districts like Colombo.
to do away with the District Quota system and I hope it lities of the situation today. Even if it were not possible bossible which may reduce its worst effects. One problem ut the entire intelligence of a district is represented by the But a large number may not sit due to economic, social ation of 1/2 million less than 50 students sit the Advanced aces in the Medical and Engineering Faculties are reserved mark is set at a very low level.

Page 35
I would therefore suggest that if district quot: of students sitting the examination and not on the pop
Another possible solution which was mention Teachers Association some time ago-viz that all schools pressure to downgrade certain Schools.
Dr. S. Kalpage
I would like to comment on two points raisec
Prof. Gunasekera mentioned that he was agai he had protested at that time. He knows that he coulc at that time. But he seems to think that the Secretary a Secretary he would have realised that these decisions made by the government as a whole.
The second point is on the question of salaries the S.L.B.C.. I listened to the S.L.B.C. broadcast - it met increases to the government viz. 40% for academic staff that Dr. Kalpage had promised a salary increase that is no what the U.G.C. had recommended to the governmen Ministry of Higher Education is concerned that the pub versity staff will make Statements at various forums tha
I will explain what the present position is, as has increased the salaries of university teachers on three increase and a substantial increase in salary as a result o from 1970-1977 was as substantial with regard to univ considered all the representations made through the Vict I mentioned earlier. The Treasury has said that they ar for the following reasons. It would be difficult to justif cost of living and these were in fact the reasons urged be has also said that the financial implications of the prop. by us. We have now worked it out and it is in the regi Treasury on the 1st of April and, in order to make absolu but the Vice Chancellors will also be present at the disc of Finance and his officials why it is necessary to give 1

33
s are to be kept it should be on the basis of the number lation.
'd by Prof. Wijetunge was put forward by the University should be graded. But this may bring to bear political
by Prof. Gunasekera.
nst the district quota system when it was introduced and not influence the decision although he was a Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education could do so. As are not in the hands of the Secretaries but are decisions
He implied that I made certain promises reported over 'ely announced that the U.G.C. had recommended certain and 40 - 60% for non-academic staff. If anyone saidit correct. I did not promise anything. I only mentioned t and I feel it is important where the U.G.C. and the lic is made aware of what is being done. Otherwise uniit the U.G.C. is not doing anything about their salaries.
I have nothing to hide in this matter. This government 2 occasions - they were given a 10% increase, a Rs. 55/- f the withdrawal of Income Tax. I hope that the record ersity salaries. The situation right now is that having 2 Chancellors the U.G.C. has recommended the increases e not in a position to implement these recommendations ya salary increase if the reason given is the increase in the fore the U.G.C. by the Vice Chancellors. The Treasury osal have to be studied as they had not been worked out on of Rs. 35 million. We will be renegotiating with the itely certain that the truth is known, not only the U.G.C. ussions and they will be able to urge before the Minister he university teachers a further salary increase.

Page 36
34
SESSION 2
Professional Courses
(MEL
Dr. S. A
I wish to speak today not as the Director of th who has been associated with the teaching of medical say will not reflect the views of the Faculty of Medicin an association of about 35 years with the General Ho Professional Courses in Medicine at the University. I engaged a in a vocation or occupation requiring adva rather than manual work, such as Arts, Science, Enginee learned professions. The emphasis on mental rather th engaged in sports activities such as boxing and tenr professionals spend a lot of time, money and effort first it and the basic techniques required in its practice.The knowledge and perfecting their skills in the basic tech complex techniques. Finally, yet more years in speci; both authoritative and innovative in it. The medical pi
I have tried to picture the course of training At the university entrance level he will study basic Ph dealt with earlier. Here, I must deal with one aspect wh Dean of the Faculty and the non-clinical professors wi We talked this morning about certain percentage of adi from backward areas. There seems to be a general from backward areas are poor material and have to b make poor doctors. In the future the university must c of the faculty with these students before formulating f Science and Engineering.
Once a medical student enters the faculty he they were called the first professional exam, second prof From 1942 they were called 2nd M.B.B.S., 3rd M.B.I is to make the student sufficiently experienced to prac first two years upto the 2nd M.B.B.S. he studies the Every year the course content in these subjects is increased so much that two years may not be sufficien subjects. At the same time we cannot devote any mor for his training. The volume of work they have to s meet these medical students in the hospitals in the 4th physiology they have learnt and a lot of time has to b physiology related to that particular discipline. For anatomy and neuro-physiology all over again before thing wrong with the teaching process or the students a taken into consideration. But the knowledge is so vast have to resort to cramming. After the first professiona and biochemistry they go into the second professional ex pathology, community medicine and forensic medici but pharmacology does not stop with the second prof

Chairman: DR. H. N. S. KARUNATLAKE
At The University
ICINE)
Cabra al
e Postgraduate Institute of Medicine but as a clinician students for a considerable number of years. What I ; but they are some of my personal impressions during spital, Colombo. I have been asked to talk about the would like first to define a professional. He is a person nced training in some specialised skill involving mental ring, Medicine, Law, Teaching, or Theology,the so-called an manual, skills is to distinguish them from professionals is professionals. They enter the university and like all learing the basic theoretical principles of their profession n they spend more years acquiring more theoretical niques and learning or experimenting with new or more alising in one branch of their profession till they become 'ofession could be summarised into that statement.
that an undergraduate will take in the medical faculty. ysics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology which has been ich has come out during the course of discussions with the no meet the students when they first enter the university. missions on merit and district quota basis and 15 percent consensus in the faculty that the 15 per cent admissions e pushed through every examination and ultimately they lo some rethinking in the light of the practical experience frther policies of admission to the Faculties of Medicine,
has to sit a series of examinations. From 1870 to 1942 assional exam and the Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery. 3.S., etc. The idea in this whole training programme tice the profession in any part of the country. For the basic sciences - anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. reviewed. The material available in these subjects has t for him to grasp a sufficient knowledge of these three 2 time to these subjects from the 5 years that is available udy is sometimes so much that when we, as clinicians, year they seem to have forgotten all the anatomy and e spent by the clinician recapitulating the anatomy and instance in neuro-surgery I have to teach them neuroI teach them neuro-surgery. Whether there is somee not adaptable to be taught are things which have to be that it is not possible to learn everything and the students exam when they have finished with anatomy, physiology am and study the subjects of pharmacology, microbiology, le. In pharmacology they learn about the drugs in use issional exam it goes on to the other 3 years of medicine

Page 37
and surgery where they study therapeutics i.e. the use basis of disease and they require a firm background of p subjects obstetrics, medicine and Surgery.
Here again the increase in number of student the staff of the university and it is no longer possible to the university authorities take note of the fact that sta students a year that are admitted they will lag behind called upon to do work for the Health Department e.g. logical examinations for the rest of the island for the pathological examination in most of the provincial an to the Department of Pathology. Similarly the Depart studies, systemetrography etc. So heavy demands are
The students then enter the hospital for stud At any one time during the year bout 450-500 students hospital has not increased however beyond what it us Physical strain on the teaching staff of the hospital, i.e heavy. The teaching staff has to be increased because the demand from the Health Department is so vast the suggestion was made by the Ministry of Health to red quite rightly resisted by the Dean of the Faculty as evel
When he completes the examination at the en before he can be registered as a medical officer by the C a part of the undergraduate training and they have to they can become a full-fledged doctor who is in charge the Department of Health to suit their needs at the req them as doctors.
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine has been some part in the internship training also. This is the patient care. What happens now is that the intern gets no time to learn anything else other than the routine of when he finishes his internship, is registered as a doctor not know what to do. The university should therefore t is very vital to a doctor's training.
A doctor never ends his studies; thereafter he the internship he can take qualifying examinations to disciplines we now have at the Post-graduate Institute of N he can take the M.D. or M.S. which is a university e. have two more years of apprenticeship - one year abroad year locally. He then qualifies as a Consultant. If we the date he enters the university and becomes certified a further. So the minimum period to qualify as a docto

35
f the drugs in treatment of patients, Pathology is the thology, microbiology and pharmacology for the clinical
entering the university has increased the workload on ive individual or even group attention to them. Unless fiing in the faculty is inadequate to cope with the 150 in teaching these students. Also Faculty members are the Pathology Department does all the the histo-pathoealth Department. As there are no facilities for histo| base hospitals all the specimens are sent to Colombo ment of Physiology has to undertake electro-myographic made on the Faculty by the Department of Health.
y of Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. are doing ward work in the hospital. The staff in the 'd to be when 40-50 students were admitted at a time.
including professorial units and clinical units, is really the number of students admitted cannot be reduced as are short of 600 doctors at the moment. In fact a ce the duration of the course by one year and this was l five years is barely sufficient to train a medical student.
d of 5 years he has to serve an Internship of one year eylon Medical Council. The internship training is also do two appointments in medicine and surgery before } of patients. This internship training is solely done by uest of the Ceylon Medical Council which then registers
agitating for many years that the University should play one year during which the students should be taught involved in the routine work of the hospital and he has that particular unit where he is working. As a result, and sent out to a peripheral hospital he is lost and does be allowed some role in this one year of internship which
can get on to postgraduate studies. Six months after inter into the training programmes for any of the 14 sedicine. At the end of a 2-25 years training programme amination. Before he becomes a Consultant he must in an institution which will be arranged for him and one analyse this training the minimum period of time from a Consultant is 12 years and we cannot reduce this any r is 6 years and as a Consultant is 12 years.

Page 38
36
SESSION II
Professional Course;
(L
Trf. T.
Mr. Chairman, I shall begin by tracing very b I shall then discuss some of the major problems that fa
The two chief institutions which teach law are University of Colombo. The Law College, which was Education composed of lawyers. The students are char entirely of part-time teachers, who are also practitioners are taught only in the SWabasha media, Sinhala and Ta began as a Department of Law in the Faculty of Arts Faculty students pay no fees for instruction, there is aco who are Visiting Lecturers, and every subject is taught
From 1950 graduates in Law were given exem Law College. After 3 years at the University a gradua Examination there within a year. The other way by whi the Law College and passing all three examinations c of the Law College a prospective Attorney (whether a la at the Law College and after working in the chambers of at-law.
In this historical sketch I should also mention which I shall refer later. In 1963 the Government intre registration for the examinations leading to the LLB. d to introduce Swabasha as media of instruction.
I should mention here that the Law Commissio dations that are relevant to the teaching of Law. The Faculty of Law but from Mr. H. W. Jayewardene, Q.C. of Legal Education, which is responsible for education wasteful for a small country like Sri Lanka to have t subjects - at least with regard to two thirds of the cou Pakistan, U.S.A., and Europe, every one who wished to Law. The Law Commission considered the matter and LL.B. degree of the University from 3 to 4 years with to compensate for the lack of a minimum admission rec certain subjects like international law and commerc had been dropped when instruction in Sinhala and Ta teaching materials and staff in the swabasha media; as all three languages, even the English medium lectures on of the University authorities. After obtaining degrees would go on to spend one more year studying practical book-keeping for the Final Examination of the Law Co

Chagiriai: DR. H. N. S. KARUNATILAKE
At The University
AW)
Nadaraja
riefly the history of legal education in this country and ze teachers of Law at the University.
the Sri Lanka Law College and the Faculty of Law of the established about 1900, is run by the Council of Legal ged substantial fees and the teaching staff consists almost Some subjects are taught only in English, while others mil. The Faculty of Law of the University of Colombo in 1947 and became a separate Faculty in 1967. In the reof full-time teachers plus a few part-time practitioners, in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
ption from some of the examinations conducted by the ite in Law can join the Law College and take the Final ch a person may become an Attorney-at-law is by joining if the College. After passing the Final Examination w graduate or not) follows the Practical Training Course some senior lawyer is admitted to practice as an Attorney
two events which gave rise to some of the problems to oduced the system of external students being admitted to egree and in 1972 the Government required the Faculty
n in a recent Interim Report has made certain recommeninitiative for these recommendations came not from the , who first raised the matter at a meeting of the Council at the Law College. He expressed the view that it was wo institutions side by side teaching basically the same rses - and that, as in many other countries - e.g., India, ) join the legal profession should first obtain a degree in suggested a scheme to extend the course of study for the intensive courses in English being given in the first year uirement of English and also with the reintroduction of ial law into the curriculum. Incidently, these subjects lmil was introduced at the University, owing to lack of every subject had, as a matter of policy, to be taught in these subjects had to be discontinued, much to the regret in Law, those who wished to become Attorneys-at-law subjects like procedure, conveyancing, trust accounts and ollege.

Page 39
When the recommendations in the Law Commis were protests from students of the Law College and so fully informed of the correct position. The Law Comm but on the contrary wished to expand the functions of introducing, apart from an extended course of practical is lacking in this country. In modern society so many ( are continually taking place that even practitioner continuing legal education in order to keep in touch w dations also envisaged courses of instruction at the Law C for their own work without wishing to be full-fledged att men, customs officers, etc.
I shall now mention some of the major problem
1 me first problem is that of attracting to our te law graduates with good honours degrees. Very little : teachers of the University, unlike in the case of Univers whose importance has been recognised by the Gos Law are on a par with those of teachers of the Facul teachers in our service for more than a few years, beca banks and even in Government law departments are rewards of private practice. Even part-time Visiting I per hour, whereas the Law College pays Rs. 50/- per h good quality to help with even part-time teaching.
The second problem is the lack of an admission (in the prevailing political climate of the early 1970s w the University, an institution depending largely on fun Law College was more fortunate in this respect, since it consisting of distinguished lawyers and having its own instruction in the swabasha media is necessary,a knowl reading of background material. In the field of Law th material' is very much more extensive by reason of th study. Whereas in other subjects it is a question of the in English, in Law the textbooks are only secondary so the statutes as well as the reported judgements of the and this vast array of legal material is unfortunately av
There are very few textbooks in Swabasha.
prepare cyclostyled material for his class, but every sel in Law is based on a reported judgement or the sections have little or no knowledge of English is no doubt easy position of Law which the students will just accept a English well can, and indeed he is expected to, read the is the authority for the proposition stated; and his rea only to contest the teacher's statement but also to obt to get all the legal judgements of even the highest coul even if they were, the local judgements cite and rely on and foreign courts and texts,
The ultimate remedy for this situation is th Law formulated in the swabasha media, which will pro the necessity of recourse to the earlier authorities. Unt in its present form have no alternative to insisting (as the before admission to the Faculty.

37
sion's Interim Report were reported in the press, there ne alumni of the College who appear not to have been Ssion had no intention of downgrading the Law College, he College. For example, the Commission proposed training, a system of Continuing Legal Education, which hanges in the law, both statutory as Well as judgement s and judicial officers should have opportunities of th these changes. The Law Commission's recommenollege for persons who needed specialised legal knowledge orneys-at-law e.g. businessmen, administrators, police
s faced by the Faculty of Law in its task of teaching Law.
aching staff and thereafter retaining the services of young ttention has been given to improving the salaries of law ity teachers in the Faculties of Medicine and Engineering 'ernment. The salaries of teachers of the Faculty of y of Arts and it is very difficult to retain full-time law use the salaries paid to lawyers in the private sector, in much more attractive, quite apart from the financial lecturers in the Faculty of Law are paid only Rs. 211our, so that the Faculty finds it difficult to get people of
requirement of a minimum knowledge of English, which hen instruction in the swabasha media was introduced) iing by the Government, was unable to prescribe. The was run by an autonomous Council of Legal Education funds. Most University teachers will agree that, while 2dge of English is required by University students for the le problem is particularly acute, because the"background he distinctive nature of the teaching techniques of legal student being able to read a comparatively few textbooks urces of the Law. The primary sources of the Law are ourts interpreting statutes, texts and earlier judgements: tailable for the most part in English only.
Where there are none, the lecturer could no doubt tence or clause of a sentence in a textbook or a lecture of some statute. The task of the teacher of students who in one sense, because he has merely to lay down a proS correct. On the other hand, the student who knows
particular judgement of the section of the statute which ling of the judgement or the statute will enable him not ain a much sounder grasp of the Law. It is impossible its of Sri Lanka translated into Sinhala and Tamil, and, the judgements and statutes of English, Indian, American
e formulation of a comprehensive Code of Sri Lankan vide a new starting point for legal development without il then, those engaged in teaching the Law of Sri Lanka Law College does) on areasonable knowledge of English

Page 40
3.
8
The third problem is that created by the for degrees in Law. Internal students enter the Univer highly competitive entrance examination and are for th and tutorial classes and have access to the University been admitted after a competitive examination and th in earning their living and having to cope with the many or access to law libraries. They are often charged big extensive syllabuses in weekend courses of instruction
It is very difficult for a small Faculty like ours help of a few examiners from outside over whom the often unable to get these outside examiners to mark the to return the scripts while the external students keep pr and in the press about the delays in releasing the results compel even our full-time staff to take up the marking C has to bear the burden of preparing lectures and conduct as doing their own research work, which is necessary no University's service.
The Faculty of Law suggests that the Open daily courses of instruction after office hours for exter adequate library facilities and access to at least the New facilities for study by external students are quite inade:

ever-increasing number of external students registering ity on the basis of an aggregate of marks obtained at a most part young full-time students who attend lectures library. On the other hand, external students have not ey are mostly middle-aged people who, being employed problems of day-to-day living, have little time for study fees by private tutories which profess to cover the
to cater to both internal and external students with the Jniversity has no control. The Dean of the Faculty is answer scripts on time; he has to keep on begging them otesting to the University authoriteis and to politicians )f the examinations. Nor can the University authorities f the scripts of external candidates, as the full-time staff ing tutorial classes for their own internal students as well t only for teaching but also for their promotions in the
Jniversity or some similar body should arrange regular nal candidates for degrees in Law, provide them with
Law Reports and local statutes, because the present luate and the cause of much bitterness and frustration.

Page 41
SESSION II
Professional Courses
(ENGIN)
Prof. C. Pat
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, my topi the end of my brief talk I leave you more confused than in Prof. Halpe whether we are giving an education in ou! In professional courses, Engineering being one of them doing at Moratuwa University is very relevant to the
To put this across let me give you a brief hist activities in engineering centred around the constructic engineers were not required. At that time the country d of engineers. Then, with the introduction of railways, e qualified engineers was felt by the country. It was at Executive Committee of Education of the State Council of engineers was recognised to be of importance. In 19 to enter the Technical College and were given regular coul of the London University. It was in 1953 that the Facul in Colombo and later shifted to Peradeniya. In 1953 wi programmes for training engineers to sit London degree
At the same time in 1960 the Institute of Tech training programmes were taken over by Katubedde. In to train more engineers to meet the country's needs. S. university status it could not award degrees and the train
When the Faculty of Engineering was shifted t Peradeniya. The new course at Katubedde College of institutional training plus the third year full time in inc This 5 years training programme was able to produce a that certain Permanent Secretaries declared that Peradeni an engineer who comes out of the university with both
In 1972, Katubedde became a campus of the one we had to give up the 5 years course but while condensing the component of 9 months continuous practical training We used to catch up the lost time by releasing the result
This raises the question whether an engineerin training. The tendency now is not only knowledge and two weeks ago at a seminar we discussed the possibility in convincing some of the participants that we at Katul safeguarding the human rights of others. This is parti Environmental Studies and so on.
The question arises as to what steps are been t The development schemes of the present government a of technical personnel at all levels. The government has double the intake to the Faculty of Engineering. But this

39
Chairman: DR. H. N. S. KARUNATILAKE
At The University ERING)
wathavithane
today is Professional courses in Engineering but if at
ow I hope you will pardon me. The point was raised by universities in keeping with the needs of the country. this comment is very applicable. I think what we are country's needs.
ry of the need for engineers in this country. The early n of roads and small bridges for which very qualified id not have an establishment for the systematic training lectrification and telecommunications the need for more his time, arising out of a recommendation made by the that the necessity to introduce courses for the training 35 the youth of the country were given an opportunity ses of training to sit the engineering degree examinations y of Engineering was started in the University of Ceylon len the Faculty of Engineering was started, the teaching examinations at the technical college were abandoned.
nology at Katubedde was started and the middle level 1966, a College of Technology was started at Katubedde ince at that time the College of Technology was not of ing programme was called the Diploma in Technology.
o Peradeniya a four year degree course was started in Technology was a five year course comprising 2 years lustry followed by a further 2 years institutional training. 1 engineer more useful to society. It was at that time ya should also follow the five year pattern and produce knowledge skills and practical skills.
university of Sri Lanka. Then due to student agitation the course to about 4 years and few months we retained although term times sometimes got a little disarranged. s earlier than Peradeniya.
; graduate from the University should have a practical practical skills but also a training in attitudes. In fact of teaching human rights to students. I had difficulty edde do teach this aspect as duties of the engineers in ularly important in areas like Industrial Managmenet,
ken to meet the demand for engineers in the country. d the accelerated programmes require a large number elt the acute need for more engineers and requested us to will create certain problems due to lack of qualified staff.

Page 42
With time, how did the programme of traini needs of the country? We had to change the emphasis present the traditional Department of Civil Engineering viz. Department of Building and Structural Engineerin and Department of Transportation and Geotechnical Preservation are subject areas which are important to th of three new departments. Very recently we had a disc syllabus in subject areas like Physics and Chemistry - t the raw-material we get i.e. the students who come from til in these subjects. Of course, we have no hand in the material sent to the Faculty. We have also received a di to give our views on the new system of Advanced Le where there is a different emphasis of subject areas, but these matters. So how do we cope with this situation responsible for engineering education at Katubedde.
Before I conclude I should mention the recent how the emphasis or focus has shifted. In the early day we did not have even a scheme to train them. Then University Engineering degrees. Then came the Ui undergraduate training. Now the emphasis is shifting course we must also have the undergraduate training in should be on post-graduate training if we are to establis We cannot do a proper job of educating engineers if \ engineers will eventually be absorbed.
Industry and university cannot come into dire specific traditional courses of civil, mechanical, electric level. But at postgraduate level we can have close liais
Before I conclude I must read two or three quest Committee on education and training of engineers. (.. pattern of postgraduate education and research to mak industry in the organisation and conduct of postgradu co-ordination of postgraduate training and research wi country?
Thank you.

ng started at Katubedde develop to meet the changing on certain subject areas and introduce new courses. At is thinking of splitting into three different departments g, Department of Water and Environmental Engineering Engineering. Environment, Transportation and Coastal e country now, and hence we have proposed the creation ission in the Faculty and Senate on reducing the first year o the extent even of dropping them because we feel that he Advanced Level have sufficient background knowledge selection of Students but we have to do our best with the rective from the Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education vel examination, the International Baccalaureate system we find that this is not compatible with our thinking on ? These are some of the problems we face as people
trend of events in the education and training of engineerss when society did not need high level qualified engineers there was a stage when we prepared them for London liversity Faculty of Engineering and the empahasis on g to specialisation through postgraduate training. Of even larger numbers to meet the demand, but the focus sh proper liaison with the industrial needs of the country. we do not think in terms of industry into which these
:ct contact at undergraduate level because there are the al, electronic and telecommunication engineering at that on with industry.
ions asked from us in a letter received from WFEO/FMO l). What are the modifications required in the existing e it more relevant and purposeful? (2). How to involve ate education and research? (3). How to achieve close th major developmental and engineering schemes of the

Page 43
SESSION III
Professional Courses
(ARCHITECTURE AND TOW
Frof. Ruq
Mr. Chairman and friends, the University of that lead to several professional areas such as Engineeri Patuwathavitane has already spoken to you about the about the professional courses leading to Architectur
Briefly the Architecture Course started at Tech versity of Colombo in 1968 under the Faculty of Natur universities, this course was transferred to the "Katub was at the University of Colombo it was only an under The facility of sitting Part I examination conducted by th to students. After shifting to the Moratuwa Universit. level leading upto a M.Sc. (Architecture) and Final or Professional examination is conducted by the Sri Lank the RIBA.
Therefore, it is now possible for the local M.S professional qualifications of the Royal Institute of Brit Architecture at an internationally recognised level.
The Department of Architecture has future p tecture, Urban Design and Historic Preservation of Ph.D. by research.
The Department of Town & Country Planni M.Sc. in Town & Country Planning and the other to M.Sc. course is of 2 years duration and could be gained research. The Department has plans to include a p programme and short term Certificate Course.
Let me now deal with the planning and design courses and research in Environmental Studies, we must with the environment and also how they interact.
The diagram on page 45 shows the spher concerned with the Built Environment in relation to and industries are responsible for studying the envirc goals, designing buildings, towns, cities and finally fo two scales shown in the diagram. The vertical scale research and development, to design followed by proc elements which have to be studied, designed and made. building materials, such as bricks, through compone towns, to the great metropolis and the region.
Using the horizontal and vertical scales it is po professions and industries in relation to one another

41
Chairman DR. H. N. S. KARUNATILAKE
In The Universities
7N & COUNTRY PLANNING)
bert Peiris
Moratuwa conducts courses in Environmental studies ng, Architecture and Town and Country Planning. Prof. professional Engineering courses. My task is to speak and Town & Country Planning.
nical College level and later was established at the Unial Science. Subsequently with the reorganisation of the 2dde Campus', as it was then called. When the course graduate course leading to a B.Sc. in Built Environment. Le Royal Institute of British Architects was also available y, it was possible to upgrade the course to Postgraduate Part II of the RIBA Examination. The Part III or the a Institute of Architecture which in turn is recognised by
Sc. (Architecture) students to obtain as well the final and ish Architects, without having to go ahroad to qualify in
lans to include courses in Landscape and Interior ArchiBuildings at Postgraduate level and courses leading to
ng offers two Postgraduate courses. One leads to a a Postgraduate Diploma in Urban Development. The by either full-time instruction or by full-time or part-time ostgraduate Diploma in Rural Development, a Ph.D.
of these postgraduate courses. In planningpostgraduate consider the professions, industries and sciences concerned
es of interest of professions, industries and sciences one another. It is seen that these sciences, professions inment, developing new methods for achieving society's r carrying through these plans to execution. There are
shows the sequence from basic research through applied uction and execution. The horizontal scale shows the
These vary in size as indicated in the diagram from simple its and systems to single buildings, groups of buildings,
sible to place the spheres of activity of the various sciences,

Page 44
42
The diagram suggests a number of importa which the construction industry occupies in relation to on the horizontal scale and is only moderately displace architect with that of the structural and mechanical eng sphere of activity is heavily concentrated around design and downwards towards the execution of the building with research and with execution. There is a consideral profession and scientists, particularly physicists whose Again engineers participate to a greater extent in col
The architect's nearest neighbours on the othe occupy an unsymmetrical position above the horizontal tial overlap with the social scientists, particularly with though rather lightly, on the problemsof design.
The next question is: how are these relation questions arise. First, will there be any substantial sl sciences concerned? Second, if there are such shifts, w particular, will the education of each tend to become
Let us first consider what shifts there may be ir of interest away from the design problems of the single Thus the area of overlap between architects and plan we have to ask is how far will the building industry sh and system building? Insofar as it moves in this directio) So far we have been considering shifts on the horizontal that the architectural profession has to step up in its berately expanded upwards on the scale towards rese
Finally the architect will certainly have to ta through the building industry. The result of these vari of interest of the various professions and sciences thereb
Thus we have to look forward to a future ir defined will become blurred and in which much, perhap This work will need to be carried on either by teams of in collaboration or by people whose education and exp
How should the Universities and professions p of course is obvious. We must move towards closer in work in teams and will have a capacity for adapt; developments in the context of the changing environme
Flexibility of courses to meet the changing in
(a) Offering a basic first degree and subseq variety of disciplines which will ena A student can also enter into research WC the career he has mapped out for himse
(b) Fostering joint education courses and
educational streams leading to various a
(c) Allowing greater flexibility in course op encourages the student to select subjects a no longer follow only one set course, but
(d) Running sandwich courses where profess
Diagram 2 on page 44 shows a course stru Environment.

nt relationships. First, note the symmetrical positio: architecture. It occupies almost exactly the same placc d on the vertical scale. If we compare the position of the gineers an interesting contrastis apparent. The architect's with only moderate extensions upwards towards research ; project, while the engineers are more closely involved ble overlap of activity and interest between the engineering theoretical work provides the basis for new developments. instruction work.
»r side, the various professions concerned with planningaxis. They are involved in research and have a substangeographers, economists and sociologists. They touch,
s likely to change? Looking again at the diagram, two hifts in the areas covered by the various professions and ill this tend to change the nature of the education - in
more specialized or more similar?
areas of interest and action. There is likely to be a shift buildings towards those of groups of buildings and towns. ners seems to increase. On the other side the question ift from its present pattern towards one of prefabrication in the overlap between architect and engineer will increase. scale. If we now consider the vertical scale it is apparent relationship with science and research. It must be deliarch.
ke a bigger part in the actual construction of buildings ous movements would be a general expansion of the circle y increasing the means of overlap.
which the boundaries between the professions as now ps most, professional work will be in the areas of overlap. people from different professions and disciplines Working erience cover more than one discipline.
repare to meet these new patterns of work 2 The answer tegration in our education and produce persons who can ation, growth and initiative to deal with new ideas and it.
eeds could be achieved by:
uent postgraduate courses leading to M.Sc. degrees in a ble them to obtain relevant professional qualifications.
ork after either the first or second degree depending upon lf.
joint research activities while maintaining separate cademic and professional qualifications.
tions creating a rich variety of course patterns. This ccording to his own interest and aptitude; so that students
are allowed to diversify.
ional training and the schooling are in alternative slabs.
icture designed on above lines for the Faculty of the

Page 45
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
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43
FIGUR
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SPHERES OF INTEREST
ROFESSIONS, INDUSTRE5 SCIENCES conCERNED
THE 2UNIVEROMENT ELATION TO ONEANUTHER.

Page 46
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Page 47
SESSION 2
Sciences. In T
Prof.
The subject assigned to me seems to call for ar any case there will not be time enough for any exhausti good at discussion time.
It is obvious that I can speak only from my o of university service devoted to teaching and research it more on the side of a fundamental, liberal, science edu developing country, it might help to know that before I former Ceylon University College's entrance scholarsh unsuccessfully pressurised by some remarkable teacher instead at the University College. That may account for balanced by my graduate and postgraduate studies in zo Colombo, and at the London School of Hygiene & Trop departments at Oxford and Cambridge. The result of a slight, not only to zoology, but also to medicine, veteri even to environmental science. I have said all this mere all, although I take purity for an ideal.
With that preamble and apologising for the aut in the University, especially since in 1974 I had already university education.
Owing to the short time at my disposal, I shall de to concepts and attitudes in university science, and leave c of a science faculty (see Appendix 1 for list of science fa for interdisciplinary studies, and such studies as the his special studies and of diploma and certificate courses; institutes, abroad and locally; and(e) the critical minimu equipment, books,journals, research grants etc. I have a about the necessity and Worthwhileness of our aims and nr at least would suffer pangs of conscience for not being
What is basic to science teaching at the univers graduates take off to the country and world at large, to c of employment? What is it that science faculty members what should they impart to students so as to give them in scientific activities would largely depend?
My contention is that students must be taug scientific discipline, and must be trained to adopt a scien not by having foundation courses and what not, but by teachers themselves. I can vividly remember my teach telling some students who wanted special lectures on ev subject of evolution had been taught by him right throug entire course, and that it had been dinned into their ears

45
Chairman: DR. H. N. S. KARUNATILAKE
he University
. Crusz
exposition of principles rather than particularities. In retreatment. The deficiencies could probably be made
wn experience, with all its limitations and my 37 years Zoology. Since, however, I am going to come down cation at the university, even if it be the university of a took to my speciality, I had an unsuccessful shy at the p examination in Classics, and even before that, was s of mathematics in my old School to do mathematics my liberal tendencies which however were later counterology and parasitology both at the University College, ical Medicine, where my work took me also to relevant ll this is that my work has become of interest, however nary science, animal husbandry, and in recent years ly to remind you that I am not so pure a scientist after
obiographical intrusion, I take another look at Science outlined my position as regards the aims and ideals of
al only with what I consider to be basic matters relating ut such matters as (a) the basic subject-wise constitution culties and their departments in Sri Lanka); (b) facilities story and philosophy of Science; (c) regionalisation of (d) matching with university science departments and lm of teaching and technical staff, and of laboratories, hunch that if we could convince the relevant authorities objects, they would strive to give us these other things, , able to do so, for whatever reason.
ity, assuming that generally it is from here that science :ontinue thinking and practising Science in various places should be doing by way of research and teaching, and the proper foundation upon which their future success
ht what science is all about, whatever their particular tific attitude of mind. This, I am also sure, is best done r the continuous example, precept and influence, of the er at the Ceylon University College, Dr. David Burt, olution, towards the end of their first year, that the gh the year, that it was the thread running through the
all the time.

Page 48
46
This is not the place to go into the nature of: been the subject of profound insights in recent years, Thomas Kuhn's. Suffice it to say that if a science stu of the earlier and current views of how science works intelligent "feel' about what a scientific “hunch' or "ima not know that a statement claiming to be a scientific st tentative, and lasts only so long as it fits the facts; and the itch to falsify, as well as openness to criticism; and examples gathered during his theoretical and practical education. To this We must add the drilling in metho science in specific situations, and the Way conclusions by the time the student leaves the university he must he may come to in the course of his work in later year This attitude must be so ingrained in him that he carries government department, an industrial firm, or elsewher. facts so as to fit his employer's hypotheses. There mu hypotheses and pursuing them if they have passed the the eminent ornithologist and Secretary of the Smiths to ecologists. His statement is worth quoting.
"Ecology is one of the most tedious of scienc or government bureau heads concerned with Ecologists cannot come up with quick soluti their sources of support. It will probably s standing is fully comprehended. Meanwhile buck or a quick "fix'often do a considerable
to the search for rationales in doing things, d
One of our tasks as university science teacher pressures which they will inevitably experience in later
All these things could be best exemplified, in th and field courses, by means of project work, and by of the faculty members themselves. That is why cons fundamental to university teaching of the sciences. researches, through any false sense of modesty, or thro for not fulfilling scientific norms and criteria. Advers of research findings, should form an essential part of stimulating. It fosters the scientific spirit.
For years on end we have been hearing there be relevant, job-oriented, development-oriented, and so like the language or languages to teach science in hav ends, rather than national needs.
This attitude has contributed its share to the er One example, which can be given without embarrassn (to use a Churchillian phrase) when applying for researc if a greater good can be achieved by it. But there is a m that in an underdeveloped or developing country like development. University science cannot be pure scie "pure scientists', 'theoretical scientists', 'fundamenta inventive dwarfs who can be hired for anything'.
It took a Professor of Government in the Un of the word, to look at the problem with less emotion University to be committed, rather than to be serv.

science and of the scientific attitude, both of which have from such philosophers of science as Karl Popper and dent leaves the university without having some knowledge and progresses, and without having acquired a genuine, iginative leap' is, and how it originates, and if he does atement must be falsifiable; that a scientific hypothesis is that central to the scientific attitude is critical assessment, unless the student can illustrate these things by way of studies, he would not have received an adequate science is and other disciplines that go with the actual doing of are validly drawn by using them. Last, but not least, be so oriented as to stand by any scientific conclusions s until they are shown to be false by himself or his peers. it with him wherever he works later, be it in a university, a 2. There should be no yielding to pressures to manipulate ust be courage and honesty in thinking up uncomfortable appropriate attempts at falsification. Dr. Dillon Ripley sonian Institution, has illustrated this vividly in relation
es from the point of view of planners and administrators budgets. Nothing ever can be proven in a hurry. . . . . . ons. They may thus earn the displeasure or disbelief of till be years before this aspect of environmental underthe environmental-impact firms, anxious for a quick disservice to the science of ecology by producing answers evelopment especially, with a farrago of half-truths'.".
s is to steel our future scientists in good time against such
years.
e first instance, in the students' theoretical, and laboratory constant reference to the research activities and findings tant and continuous research by university teachers is so Teachers must not shy away from discussing their own ugh any fear that their work has been or will be criticised e criticism, as much as the confirmation and acceptance the fare given to students. It makes teaching vital and
:frain that university science teaching and research should on. So strong has this campaign been that even matters fe been sacrificed to what could be described as national
'osion of scientists, if not of science itself, in the university. nent, is the need to resort to terminological inexactitudes h and other grants. This in itself may not be so harmful, ore fundamental erosion, namely that of taking for granted ours the primary concern should be to further economic nce', and university scientists cannot be allowed to be l scientists', whom Bertolt Brecht has called "a race of
liversity of Nairobi, and not a scientist in the usual sense and to present a very balanced case for science in the ile, to social goals. Colin Leys invites the University

Page 49
itself, and university science in particular, to see developm precisely of the kind the universities were invented to stu in the court of the university itself. And that is a good thi have “hunches' or "imaginative leaps' about it, try and fa and the people those that pass the test.
I do not think I am wrong in saying however t in Sri Lanka. But do governments listen? I would lett He has just been reported as having invented a proverb a namely that "there's no other country in the world wh the Hon. Minister made a clarion call for “believing in servility”, for the “spirit of creativity pervading all leve. the schools'
This brings me to the question of creativity, which “pure science”.
It was no small surprise to me, knowing the v the President not only wanted the establishment of an In published for that purpose, as a Sessional Paper, the lo “The Establishment in Ceylon of an Institute of Theor will have far-reaching consequences for the good of sciel my reaction to it, which I expressed in a letter of reply to t. to this presentation.
I stated that although the Sessional Paper dealt matics) I found it to be a charter of liberty for conducting fields such as Biology, and that such a statement was lon. emphasize the importance of training in basic and fundam I quoted the following from a document dated 31 Decer programme of work and staffing requirements in my ov
"Happily, however, owing to the foresight of m colleagues and I have been trained are linked w. developed and consolidated in the future.
It is well, however, to keep in mind two import for teaching and researching in the applied scie sound scientific base. 2) "the only way to put eac best suited for it, is to let all scientists freely sea chance for success. We must command them t interested. Such a command is the first conditic possible effect all the acts of originality of indiv
Even more emphatic was the following paragrap of the Third Biennial Conference on School Biol
"In this connection we must be warned that as from other countries, we would still continue to concerned. There is a distinct need, therefore, fo enterprise, in our countries, and for that it is n inquiry be inculcated at the earliest possible aspects as "relevancy' and "applied biology.'

47
2nt “not as a line of march but as a problem, a problem y'. In this way the development ball has been put g. By doing so, we can treat it as yet another problem, sify these hypotheses, and propose to the government
at this has been going on, though imperceptibly, even le Trade and Shipping Minister answer that question. a symposium on the new "Inventors' Incentives Act', 're prophets are less heard than in Sri Lanka'. And ourselves'. for "getting away from the syndrome of s of Sri Lankan society, with inculcation beginning in
ties up with freedom in science and with this so-called
rays and whims of governments, when His Excellency stitute of Fundamental Studies, but also ordered to be ong-shelved report of the Mailvaganam Committee on etical Studies'. I foresee that this timely action ices in the university. I can do no better than recall he relevant authority. It Would form an apt conclusion
specially with theoretical studies (Physics and Mathethe scientific enterprise in the correct perspective even in g overdue, especially since those of us who did dare to ental scientific studies had been ignored for too long. mber 1969 submitted to our Faculty of Science on the wn department of Zoology.
y predecessors, the special fields in which my academic ith economic Zoology, and these links could be further
ant facts, namely 1) we are basically not a department :nces; we have another role, namely the building of a h scientist to the task to which he will bring the ability arch and attack the task in which they see the greatest o pursue the lines of inquiry in which they are most on of freedom in science; it co-ordinates to the highest ridual scientists” (M. Polanyi)”.
h, which I quoted from my preface to the "Proceedings ogy Education', Manila, December 1970:-
long as we merely apply scientific knowledge obtained remain in the colonial era, at least as far as science is trus to foster and encourage creativity in the scientific 2cessary that the true spirit and technique of scientific grade level, without overdoing the emphasis on such

Page 50
48
I continued in my letter to state that I had clic Mailvaganam Committee Report, regarding the need Sri Lanka, including the university departments; that meet the criticisms and fears expressed by some (espec and by the assurance that the Institute "will serve to { at these institutions, rather than impoverish themʼ, bu Section 6 of Chapter VI, and in Section 8, that the tend let the universities get bogged down in undergraduate 1 efforts and output were not supported and increased were set when it was a question of universities vis-a-vis 1 the fate of science in the universities; and that it was endeavour in this country would be determined by wh and universities.
Allow me to end this brief presentation by exp country, the vital step in the creation of such an elite has expressed, more pointedly than I could ever ho following words:-
"We extol elitists, i.e. "the cream of the crop even politicians, especially if they become s slogan "elitist' while golf champions escape.
to the present problems with education testing
References
1. Crusz, H. 1974 - Aims and Ideals of University Education,
Popper, K. R. 1959 - The Logic of Scientific Discovery.
Kuhn, T. S. 1970 - The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
Ripley, S. Dillon 1977 - The Years Ahead. Smithsonian Ye
Brecht, B. 1960 - The Life of Galileo. Plays. Vol. 1 Lo.
Leys, C. 1971 - The Role of the University in an Underd
Underdevelopment. Proceedings of the Fifth Common wealth Secretariat.
7. Athulathmudali, L. 1979 - Reported in The Sun newspape
8. Mailvaganam, A. W. (Chairman). 1979 - Report of the CC in Ceylon of an Institute of Theoretical Studies. Sess
9, Polanyi, M. 1959 - The Organisation of Science and the C
and Freedom, No. 13, pp. 135 - 143.
10. Crusz, H. 1971 - Preface. Proceedings of the Third Bienni
11. Ripley, S. Dillon 1977 - Op. cit. p. 7.

sely followed the arguments given in Chapter VI of the for a new research institute in addition to others in was nearly convinced by the arguments put forward to ially the fear of further impoverishing the universities) nrich the universities and stimulate interest in research t that I was not convinced, in view of what was stated in ency would not continue, if not increase in intensity, to eaching, which would be of low quality if their research by all possible means; that the way financial priorities he Institute of Theoretical Studies would surely determine worth remembering that the ultimate fate of all scientific at we put in and did at the sources, such as the schools
ressing the hope of seeing a grander scientific elite in this being taken at the university. Dillon Ripley once again pe to do, the reason for fostering such an elitism, in the
' in business, in sports, or the entertainment world, or tatesmen. Somehow intellectuals get shafted with the
This is an abnegation in our rationale of culture, akin
3. It would be a fore-taste of mediocrity”."
Marga, 2, 3, pp. 86-91.
London: Hutchinson.
1. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press.
ar 1977: Statement by the Secretary. Washington, D.C. pp. 16 & 17
ndon: Methuen. p.330.
eveloped Country: Instrument of Development or Instrument of wealth Education Conference, February 1971. London: Common
r, March 22, 1979, p. 3.
mmittee Appointed to Investigate and Report on the Establishment ional Paper No. II of 1979. Colombo: Government Press.
laim to Academic Freedom. Bulletin of the Committee on Science
al Conference on School Biology Education, December 1970. Manila,

Page 51
APPE
Science Faculties and their Departments
University of Colomb
Faculty of Natural S
Botany Chemist Mathem Physics Zoology
University of Peradeni
Faculty of Science
Botany Chemist Geology Mathem Physics Zoology
University of Sri Jay,
Faculty of Applied Scie
Biologic Chemist Mathem Physics
University of Kelaniya
Faculty of Science
Botany Chemist Mathem Physics Zoology Industri
University of Moratuw
Faculty of Physical an
Chemica Material Mathem Mining

NOX
in Sri Lanka
о (1942)
Sciences
ry natics
ya (1942)
ry
latics
awardenapura (1959)
Ce
al Sciences
ry latics
(1959)
atics
al Management
ra (1972)
ld Applied Science
l Engineering & Fuel Science
Science
atics
& Mineral Processing
49

Page 52
University of Jaffna (
Faculty of Science
Botan Chem Mathé Physi Zooc
Ruhuna University
Faculty of Science
Botan Chem Math Physi Zoolc

(1974)
y
Stry matics & Statistics
CS
gy
College (1979)
y
istry ematics
S
gy

Page 53
SESSION II
Social Sciences II
Dr. S. Bal
Mr. Chairman, friends, I am very glad that Pri fessional presentation of statistics this morning anda stati I was getting somewhat apprehensive that my paper wo relieved, therefore, that Prof. Crusz anticipated me in a
Since I am dealing with the broad and amor like to begin with a conception or definition of socials are actually available in our university structure and, sciences face in our present context.
Any assessment of the state of the social sc definition of social science. Although we may trace til history of civilisation itself, the idea of a science of soci nineteenth century. Deeply influenced by the natural sci of scientific method to the realm of human society. Soci and documentation of social phenomena, its measure development of theoretical frameworks and of method formulation of laws relating to social processes. Unlike ation by which I mean the isolation and reproductiol greatly limited and is replaced by the observation, Thus, the laboratory of the social scientist is society it
Like the natural science, social science starts f that, depending on the development of knowledge, the sc and mastery as the natural World. Of course, social sci have a much greater day-to-day variability than most generally subjected to far more rapid changes and transf scientist is himself part of the processes that he is studyi or "hard' character of the natural sciences, and are often is due to the very recent evolution and undeveloped sta
Youthful in its stage of development, unform features distinguish the social sciences from the natural of the social sciences in the Sri Lanka universities. In th in scope, bringing into their realm many fields of study i or the Arts. The borders of what we mean by social changing. Secondly, Society itself is rapidly changing, Science are always shifting.
It is for these reasons, amongst others, that w an integrated concept of social Sciences, as we have of speak very esasily of 'science' or of "the Science Facult else, while that "everything else' from the study of, let us is loosely lumped together as Arts'. It is only in recent themselves but from professional and other institutions of Science that the concept of social science as a distinc put forward. Significantly, this is despite the fact that recommeded strongly that a Faculty of Social Sciences

51
Chairman: DR. H. N. S. KARUNATILAKE
The University
Idaranayake
of. Crusz has spoken as he did because with such a prostical presentation of the professions earlier this afternoon. ld seem far too general and wide ranging. I am greatly return to principles and issues.
bhous subject, 'social sciences in the university' I would 2ience, I will go on to outline those social sciences that inally, I will raise some of the problems that the social
ences in the universities depends on our conception or he roots of its component fields of study back into the ety is a purely modern phenomenon arising only in the ences, social science consists essentially in the application al Science includes, therefore, the systematic observation ment, quantification, analysis and classification, the ologies appropriate to the various disciplines and the with the natural sciences, however, the use of experimenth of particular phenomena in laboratory conditions, is
prediction and evaluation of ongoing social processes. self.
rom a material basis and is established on the premises ocial World is as totally accessible to man's understanding ence focusses on various forms of human activity, which natural phenomena; human society, as we all know, is ormations than the natural world. Moreover, the social ng. For these reasons social sciences lack the exactness referred to as "the soft sciences'. Part of this, of course, te of various social science disciplines.
:d, backward and inexact, in practice two outstanding ciences, a distinction of particular relevance to the state e first place, the social sciences are continually expanding l those areas which we usually refer to as the Humanities science, in an academic sense, are therefore continually so that the very focus and fields of operation of social
do not have in our univerisity traditions in Sri Lanka, the natural sciences. In connection with the latter, we y'. We clearly differentiate this realm from everything say, Shakespeare to the study of the balance of payments times in Sri Lanka and not so much from the universities such as the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement category of scientific knowledge and practice has been the University Commission report, as far back as 1959 should be established in the University.

Page 54
At this point it is worth rehearsing exactly wil purely conceptual realm. Central to the field of socia and Social Anthropology, which in many ways have act unambiguous in its location within this field but wit most mathematical of the social sciences. Historically l Economy or Political Science. Equally distinctive and is the study of history, or that much broader categoi discipline, Archaeology as well as Epigraphy, Numism inclusion of History within the field of social sciences is themselves. For instance, until two or three years a Science admitted Archaeology graduates to its Social while the universities sometimes reversed this classific but placing Archaeology--a discipline increasingly lin of the Humanities. No such ambiguity exists in relat roots lie in traditional philology and the study of la subject area today occupying a central role in the social disciplines, it is so much an applied science and exists ir or less a realm unto itself, not unlike Economics. Th while a more “scientific” status is granted to related fiel other hand disciplines which exist in a transitional re
University Colombo Jafna Kelaniya Subject Area
Sociology XXX X-X XX
Social & Cultural Χ Anthropology
Social Studies
Economics XXX XXX XXX
Political Science 7xx X
Business Managements aw - XXX Commerce xxx X×
Town and Country Planning
History XXX XXX XXX
Archaeology Χ XX
Linguistics x XXX
Geography XXX X x x XXX Psychology
Education XXX 7M KK
Law XXX
Key XXX t independent department preparing students.
XX masa sub-department or section of department pi
listed.
X supporting subject, taught as part of a cou
subject area.
|FIGU

hat general fields are brought together under this as yet l sciences, of course, are the twin disciplines of Sociology ually given us the concept of a science of society. Equally hits own 'classical' origins is Economics - today one of the inked with the study of Economics is what we call Political self-defined a dicSipline, and one as old as history itself, y, the Historical Sciences, which also includes my own natics, Cultural history and so on. As we shall see, the one that is not always accepted, least of all by historians go the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of, Science Section but not those with degrees in History ation, encouraging links between Sociology and History ked today with the natural sciences-firmly in the realm Eion to subjects such as Modern Linguistics although its nguages and literature. Education is also another large sciences; although it encompasses many social science such a specific professional context, that it remains more e same conventions apply to Law and Jurisprudence, lds of study such as Criminology and Penology. On the alm between social science and natural Science are such
Moratuwa Peradeniya Ruհunս Sri Jaya
University WardanaCollege pura
XXX 7گ} * × メ
4.
XXX K ept xx
XXX
x
メ"× XX蒸
XXX
XXX XXX XX x
XXX X t
ズメ
XXX XY X XXX
for special (i.e. honours) and for general degrees in the subject listed.
•eparing students for special and/or general degrees in the subject
Lrse for a special and/or general degree in some other principe
RE 1

Page 55
subjects as Psychology and Geography both of which a they are in biological and environmental phenomena. and equally undeveloped in the national context are othe and Palaeontology which have a close bearing on par conclude this somewhat sketchy and incompiete listing, for example Library Science and Mass Communications, which serve both hard and soft science alike.
What we see from such a demarcation of subjec field than some of us would be ready to accept and that expanding. It is scarcely possible within the limits of a of the state of these disciplines as they exist in our seven u subjects taught at undergraduate level, which gives us so
A summary of this sort conceals the extremely the various disciplines, both in quantitative and qualitati incidence of different subjects and the basic social scien beyond this table, three general tendencies may be note fields, some of which have the underpinnings of exi existence of some of the more specialized disciplines, wher of a small handful of specialists, rather than on large st increasing demand and sudden "boom' conditions which directly affect student enrolment and create rapid expan academic resources and standards. An integrated con courses and departments may well help to counter som increasingly interdependent character of the field as a W.
A brief glance at Some specific subjects might ma tation and longstanding traditions of development withi are undoubtedly the most evolved of the social science universities, Moratuwa excepted; while certain related s status only at Peradeniya and to a limited extent in Colon studies, I think, must take pride of place above all other st Largely due to the decline in job possibilities for histor considerably in recent years, while for the same kind The weakest representation on the other hand is in Soc central disciplines in the fields of social science. While Colombo and it is taught as a subject elsewhere, often in strong national tradition of sociological and anthropolic in the social sciences both within and outside the univers has been made in these fields by research institutes outside in this respect is best reflected in the fact that no senio. university structure-the majority have gone abroad, whi studies such as Linguistics, Archaeology, Psychology e. I would say to the lack of institutionalized research faci as these cannot develop on the basis of student number student demand on the other hand is a major factor in the Management Studies where we have seen in the last few tative terms, the expansion in all other areas. On a mu recently in physical planning and of the type of investig In such conditions, the deficiencies existing at both an a sciences in the universities, are being thrown into shar
It would, I think, be worthwhile to try to list in the universities face. The first of these is unoubte integrated body of academic disciplines. The Second-an

re as deeply rooted in the study of social processes as Almost unknown as academic subjects in Sri Lanka, r hard Science disciplines such as Physical Anthropology allel areas of study in the social sciences. Finally, to We must refer to studies in the field of Communications, which belong broadly to the realm of social Science but
st areas, is that the social sciences cover a much broader its acknowledged borders are continually changing and paper such as this to make any comprehensive survey niversities but I present in Fig 1 a summary of the me idea of the general situation.
Ineven levels of development that actually exist amongst veterms, but, at least, it provides a broad picture of the ce resources that the universities have created. Going l: the persistence and stability of the older, established sting in a professional context; the weak and tenuous e the emphasis should lie on research and the production udent numbers and extensive professional training; the arise in certain subjects where employment possibilities sion and development, not always backed by adequate Žept of social science in the formulation of university e of these imbalances and would be in keeping with the hole.
ke the point more clearly. In terms of faculty represenin the Sri Lankan universities, History and Economics S. They are each fully-fledged departments in all the ubjects such as Political Science have a fairly developed abo. In terms of quantitative research output historical Dcial - and I would even say natural - science disciplines. y graduates, student numbers in History have declined Df reasons Economics has seen a tremendous increase. iology and Social Anthropology, although those are the Departments of Sociology exist at Peradeniya and the Economics Departments, the failure to establish a gical studies is one of the most significant deficiencies ities. It is only in very recent times that some progress the university structure. The failure of the universities sociologist or anthropologist has remained within the le a few have left to work outside. More specialised .C. are also extremely weakly represented, largely due, lities within the universities. Specialised subjects such alone. The influence of employment possibilities and
development of courses and disciplines such as Business years, a development which outstrips, at least in quantiLch smaller scale, this is also true of the demands made ative social research required by development planners. ademic and professional level by the state of the social p focus.
ome of the general problems that the social sciences dly the lack of a unified concept of social science as an ironic corollary of the first-is the strongly independent

Page 56
S.
tradition that exists in such fields as Law, History and Ec Sbjects where the practitioners themselves often see the and the Liberal Arts, rather than to the Sciences.
Thirdly, in a society such as ours in which trad day life, those elements of scientific dynamism such as criticism, the questioning and the objective analysis of encouraged. Thus, the social sciences, which have his criticism, do not have in a society such as ours a read
Fourthly, the problem of teaching continuous hopeless lack of even basic reading and reference materi: in the social sciences where it is especially necessary for rather than to operate within an already established f case with the natural sciences. The note-taking and our universities today serves only in a very basic transn an effective and productive social scientist. I would the professionalization of the social sciences. This, ho in some fields where various kinds of social scientists a can also lead, negatively, to a narrowing of academ training programme for technocratic functionaries and
This brings me to my final point which is the la research as we know has a considerable nomentum in the individual scholar, a fair amount of time to pursue that we have officially sponsored research programm research institutions or research fellowships. It is iro, less than ten years, established an institutionalized struct and quality - is not matched anywhere in the universitic one, it is a problem of academic perspectives and tradi
Of these various problems, I would single out social science. This omission is often one that is inb the British traditions that we have inherited and where t sciences, the practitioners in the social sciences are th their respective fields. Many of the social sciences, w are still in the womb of their classical or liberal arts orig that prevails in certain branches of the social sciences, orientalist historian’s inaugural address on taking up a study of history he says:
“In my view the major purpose of the histori and his readers. The historian may also some perception, which appeals to the aesthetic sen of the poet and the artist. I have reason to historical writing of certain kinds, experiences
This is a lecture given not so long ago, and by of the kind of confusion or indeterminancy that the col and traditions,
A significant aspect of this British influence is where the social scientist merely observes and classifies formulated theoretical framework, which can itself be tradition and the failure of our social scientists as a catural sciences one would call fundamental research -

:onomics and the 'classsical background of many of these ir discipline as belonging to the realm of the Humanities
litional and hierarchical norms are still dominant in everythe challenge to existing ideas and institutions and the existing structures of thought and organization are not torically evolved in exactly such a framework of scientific lymade and fertile field for development.
ly expanding subject areas in a situation where there is a al in the national languages. This is particularly disastrous the student to learn to think and act for himself or herself, framework of observation and experiment, as is often the note-reproducing type of education which dominates mission of knowledge, but does not help at all to train add that one of the features related to this is the lack of wever, is a trend which we are just beginning to see now re required on a professional basis. The influence of this ic development, turning university education into a mere data-gathering research assistants.
ck of a tradition of institutionalized research. Individual the university, and university employment at least gives his or her own research. But it is only in rare instances les in the universities in social sciences, and virtually no nic, that the Institute that we are sitting in today, has in ture and momentum of research, that-whatever its character 2s. This problem is not merely a financial or a budgetary tions and of structural impediments and incentives.
t the first as the most significant: the lack of a concept of uilt into our university system, and derives in part from he same weaknesses can be found. Unlike in the natural emselves uncertain about the status and objectives of hile being very highly developed as academic disciplines ins. For instance, as an example of the kind of attitude , I would like to quote the opening words from a British
chair of History at London University. Speaking of the
an is simply to satisfy the intellectual curiosity of himself atimes succeed in writing books of wide scope and brilliant se of his public and thus his works has affinities, with that believe that there are some people who derive from good almost religious in character............ '....
an eminent authority in the field and gives us an idea ncept of social science would have to face in such contexts
the dominance of empiricism in our academic traditions, and analyses data without any reference to a consciously tested, questioned or replaced. The lack of a theoretical body, to develop a generalized concern with what in the mean research and reflection on the theoretical structures

Page 57
that underlie any field of science-represents, I think, the university, and has contributed largely to the emaci gration of social science disciplines.
In the final analysis, the development of the socia linked with the development of the society in which they sciences is itself, a sociological phenomenon. The orig century were determined to a very great extent by the They were, at one end of the spectrum, modes of social ( to protect and reproduce the existing social structures, crisis, to pre-empt the growth of conditions that would bri the spectrum, they had a critical corrective and transfor provide impulses and perspectives for development and development of the social sciences in our country that in any significant extent.
We have made considerable progress in acquir but we have scarcely begun a creative process of develop and demands of oar society. The state of the social sci

55
|ne of the central weaknesses of social science studies in ation of the concept of social science and the non-inte
sciences within the university or outside it is inextricably exist. In other words, the development of the social ins and development of the social sciences in the 19th cirisis of the industrial-capitalist societies of that time. :ontrol and social engineering, where the objectives were to create equilibrim in situations of contradiction and ng about fundamental social change; at the other end of mational role to confront existing views and ideas to change. It is an expression I think, of the low level of either of these tendencies are operative in Sri Lanka to
ing the basic tools of various social science disciplines, ing a social science which has responded to the needs 2nces in the university is a reflection of that situation.

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56
SSSSION 2
Disc
Prof. S. R. Kottegoda
The needs of the country as pointed out by I been looked into by the Ministry at any time. Ther doctors, apothecaries or even of the number of post-g
The Medical Faculty here has not blindly follo Parasitology or Forensic Medicine as special subjects. been assessed regularly. In 1968 we had an excess o doctors. This is a result of the deficiencies in manpo and the types of post-graduate training that is required the difficulties experienced during internship training internship work as general practitioners in the Depart to the tasks they have to perform as general practitione a general training. Again, there are a large number getting a training in Paediatrics or Obstetrics. Fortun Department Committee in which the Secretary, Minis and the Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation a will be established and the requirements of the country Will be met.
Prof. M. U. S. Sultan Bawa
Some of the points that I wish to raise have
but I think they require further emphasis. First of a facilities in the science faculties. Knowledge in scienci in our universities the vote given to the libraries is qui my own department we subscribed to over 100 journal after 1977 we got just 10 journals. From 1980 we one journal for the entire department. So if the uni necessary for development there is no library base fo were fortunate that 10 years ago there was a sound is no longer available.
The next problem is text-books. The univ as well as teach. To be able to teach, teachers must and the students need an adequate number of textto purchase sufficient text-books for the past several y about $ 600 - from which you can buy only about 1
There is also lack of money for consumable programmes in the university but for day to day exp wated because now we are getting students from the has to be provided in the university. It is a vicious lopment programme we cannot give adequate trai personnel from outside to man our industrial developm enough.

Chairman: DR. H. N. S. KARUNATILAKE
ussion
'rof. Patuwathavithane regarding professionals have not e were no projections of the manpower requirements of aduates, which placed us in a difficult situation.
wed the British syllabus which does not have for instance Also the requirement of doctors in the country has not f about 300 doctors and today we have a deficit of 600 wer planning. Also the type of doctor that is required have not been planned at all. Dr. Cabraal pointed out Now 8 per cent of all doctors who pass out after ment of Health but their internship training is not geared rs. The rest work as O.P.D. doctors and they also require of trainees who complete their internship period without ately, 6 months ago the government established a Health try of Higher Education, Secretary, Ministry of Health re represented and it is hoped that by this method liaison both in terms of quantity and quality of medical manpower
been partially indicated by some of the previous speakers ll I wish to take up the question of availability of library a doubles itself over a period of 7 years but unfortunately ite inadequate both for text-books and for journals. In s up to 1972; from 1972 to 1976 to we got nothing and : will be getting only the Chemical Abstracts i.e. only versity is going to start any areas of research which are r our teachers to get the background information. We base in the univesrsity library system but now this base
ersity has a dual function to perform i.e. to do research be in touch with current developments in their subjects pooks. Our departments of science have not been able
ears. We get something like Rs. 10,000 per annum i.e. 0 books.
s. There is plenty of money available for new building enditure there are no funds. The problem is aggraschools without adequate practical training and this circle - when the country is undertaking a rapid devening to our students which means we have to recruit lent projects as our future graduates will not be competent

Page 59
I can say that a large number of industries tha The number of chemistry special graduates that are bei inadequate to meet these needs. Even if we double our output will still be inadequate to meet the industrial neet direction where our graduates could be of immediate us
Prof. A. Halpe
I would like to revert to the point raised ori morning i.e. that we have not really explored adequa Related to this is the question of the Humanities. We quality of the graduates we want to produce. We ha expertise and some of the organisational problems that w the relationship between the education we provide and related to the quality of life and it could be that in ou. the "quality of life' but reducing it in actual practice. W education we are reducing it to merely enhancement of submit that this is an important problem that we oug systems should come into the discussion or not but yo without confronting this issue.
Another point I would raise is that the questic and not a closed subject for discussion. It is rather in for so long, because I am professionally involved in E degree ironical that we have heard so many learned, English Language and we know that our students are n understanding us and could not care less. In fact they to you today. What are you going to do about it? Art or even a concern for it? Prof. Nadarajah in his pres Law is not possible without close attention to English. of the English Language is one of the base requiremer doing very much about it. We must ask ourselves Language not as a technique of handling words but as a to teaching.
Dr. W. Ratnayake
I have to thank Prof. Crusz, my former teach and also Dr. Bandaranayake for following in the same to the practical level of implementation. If I may spe: to point out one thing that over the last 30 years of univ of study have remained fairly static. We have hac giving certain undergraduate courses of study in the and Mathematics. The number of staff may have inci But as Prof. Sultan Bawa said the doubling of knowle we have not developed our courses. For instance in n ecology etc. In the Department of Biology at Sri Jaya certain areas like microbiology, genetics, fisheries an a M.Sc. course in Forestry. Developing these new are quite healthy. We should start developing new units o as they do in most countries, even underdeveloped on very difficult to conduct research due to lack of faciliti factors into consideration when devising new schemes

57
are coming up in the country are chemistry-oriented. ng produced in the country at the moment is quite present output in all the universities, I believe that the ls of this country. This is another development in the e to the country.
ginally by Prof. Crusz and also referred to by me this ely the aims and objectives of university education. have not really asked ourselves the question what is the lve talked about various special aspects of professional e face in university education but we have not discussed the quality of the undergraduate. This is inextricably society today we are paying lip Service to the idea of then it comes to the question of dealing with university the G.N.P. I do not say that I have a solution but I ut to discuss, whether the question of values and value u cannot conduct a seminar on university education
in of medium of instruction should be taken as an open vidious for me to raise it that is why I have been silent nglish studies. However, it seems to me in the highest interesting, flexible discussions today conducted in the lot capable of that kind of discourse, are not capable of would be antagonistic towards you if they were to listen : you going to equip the students with that kind of ability entation made the point very clearly that the study of It is a misfortune perhaps of history that the knowledge hts for practically all our studies and we are not really the question, do we require the knowledge of English means to understanding our own subjects when it comes
r, for having elevated his talk today to a very high level vein. But I think we have to occasionally come down ak about the Sciences that Prof. Crusz covered, I have 'ersity development in this country science departments i about 10 - 15 lecturers perhaps in each department pasic disciplines Botany, Zoology, Physics, Chemistry reased somewhat to cope with the increase in students. idge occurs every seven years yet over the last 30 years ly own field, Zoology we could develop into physiology, lwardanapura University, we are thinking of developing i forestry. Only last month we got permission to start as by putting further burdens on the existing staff is not f study with the help of specialists devoted to these fields es. We have tried to develop course content but it is es and lack of time. I hope the U.G.C. will take these to develop science in the universities.

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S3
SESSION 3
The Role Of The l
Dr. H. N. S
We are now in a position to look at the role ( Several speakers have discussed in detail particular as on the role of the university in society. I would like t basic academic needs of society and whether it is adap the country.
In the 1940s and 1950s we had a university w at that time were on par with the most distinguished pri university at that time were of high quality. They co world and they stood out at academic gatherings and considered to be outstanding.
Now we have a situation where the quality has 1960s when the transition took place to the national teachers who were bilingual and who could teach and As a result, the university students suffered and there had responded at that time to the felt needs of educa
One event that enabled the university to broa in 1946. Unlike in most other countries at that time, to privileged groups in society as in the 1940s and 195 This is one thing that we can take pride in. No other Generally in Asia the flood of entrants to the universiti to pay. Our university then has been unique in that the community and drawn its student population fron
As a result it has had an impact on the spre find that today the majority of those who hold key pos the ranks of the vast body of ordinary people. Even i recruits are not from the good schools (only 1 in 20 fa their main deficiency is the lack of knowledge of Engli in English and I am not at all convinced that English s even though it is essential as a mechanism to give acces Nuclear Physics is taught in Japanese and eve English. There is a lot of discussion to the effect that and brought down quality. I agree, but that is due to were perpetuated and which were not corrected in the did not pay much attention to the problem at that tir to the change. No text books were written and ther not assist in the translation because whether it was in teachers did not know the national language.
If we had a combination of circumstances in t in English and Sinhala or Tamil the transition would h against the present Sinhala or Tamil graduates that the a closed circuit seminar like this, would not have been v to blame for these shortcomings.

Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
Jniversity In Society
. Karunatiake
of the university over a thirty year period of development. pects of higher education. I have been asked to speak o discuss the question whether the university has met the iting successfully to the changes that are taking place in
thich was functioning on a sound base. Our professors ofessors in the world. The products coming out of the uld hold their own with their peers in other parts of the international conferences, where their contributions were
declined considerably. One reason was that in the early languages as the medium of instruction we did not have write or translate textbooks into the national languages. was a drop in academic standards. If the universities tion in the country this situation could have been avoided.
adbase its activities was the introduction of free education our universities had to throw open their doors not only 0s but to the large mass of people in the rural areas. country in Asia, not even India, has gone to this extent. es have been from the upper classes who have the capacity it has catered to the betterment of the poorer sections of m a much wider Spectrum of society.
ad of literacy and on economic development. Also we ts are not from the elitist sections of society but are from in the Central Bank I find that over the last 15 years our ill into this category) they are from the rural areas; but sh. I am not advocating that everything should be done should come back as the principal medium of instruction; is to knowledge it should be a subsidiary. In Japan even in their top scientists cannot communicate easily in , this lack of knoweldge of English has put the clock back certain administrative and academic shortcomings which
1950s when the change-over occurred. The government ne and the universities themselves did not accommodate e were a few scrappy translations. The universities did l the Sciences, Social Sciences or in Arts the University
he 1950s where the teachers were bilingual i. e. proficient lave been so efficient that the criticism that is now levelled 2y cannot read, cannot discuss or that they cannot attend alid. To that extent, I think that the university is patently

Page 61
The other area is the lack of a tradition of res been done in the country and all the books that were w not associated with universities. Even the histories tha without a university degree who wrote. I can recall t university but was a first class historian and Mr. R. L. geologists who fell into this category. All the old book traded at premium prices are written largely by non-u Geology, Economics or History. One great weakness t of research and the paucity of publications. As an ir practically every book that is published on Sri Lanka, of the university at the official level. However, grou publications. But official publications like the Univers early 1960s have completely disappeared. The excuse time for research because they have a heavy teaching loa But this is not a problem that is peculiar to our univ in Sri Lanka today is less than 18,000 and this is much in the United States.
The number of teachers and number of resea increased with the proliferation of universities. There countries. What is the sum total of their research our university and as Prof. CruSZ mentioned pure researc the pure research, not related to practical problems, whic does not come out in sufficient volume in relation to the first class qualifications. Today there are an increasin teaching and research is limited. We are at the receivin which stipulate the minimum qualification of an upper : per cent are lecturers and assistant lecturers at the unive read the basic textbooks which in our time we found to class who have not heard of some of our historical mo discussion on the history of the Sinhala kingdom ar Honours graduates Who know nothing about the mons who have not travelled in the island. These examples il quality of research has deteriorated; and I would say virtually got lost. If the purpose is to produce men a of responsibility, whether in the academic, administrati type of graduate.
Most of you are probably not aware of the ré country now. Due to the fall in the quality of the loca They are coming back again through the back door ir construction of an earth filled dam we are now getting a 2500 year old tradition of building tanks, dams, bri consequences for which the universities must hold them foreign exchange and the frittering away of a fair propo experts and their families. You see these foreign cor visited last week had as many as 72 specialists and shot up rents to levels in excess of Rs. 4000 in a town
What does all this mean? The university has a fairly long tradition of higher education. If the techno loped vigorously then we will have to go back to square expertise not only academically dependent but technolo that era and many who are within the universities ha The remedy no less lies in your hands.

59
arch. Historically a large amount of research that has itten before the 1940s, were by people who were directly were written were by outsiders - there were historians he name of Mr. C. W. Nicholas who never went to a Brohier fell into a similar grouping. There were also s on Sri Lanka which are now treasured in libraries and liversity of Sri Lanka men whether it was in Science, at in evident in our university is the lack of a tradition dependent observer who tries to purchase and read
find that there is a paucity of publications coming out ps of social scientists or Scientists bring out occasional ity of Ceylon Review which was in existence up to the given by university teachers today is that they have no i and several hundreds of examination papers to correct. ersities. The number of students in all the universities less than the total student population of a big university
'chers, in the sense that they hold university posts, have are more professors in Sri Lanka than in most other put? The volume of research is the hallmark of a is essentially the basic activity of a university. Even :h is claimed to be the rightful province of the university number of universities and the output of graduates with g number of first class graduates but their capacity for gend of these products. We serve on interview boards second and of those coming up for interview about 90 rsity. The unfortunate thing is that they have not even o simple. I know History honours graduates with first numents and texts and cannot take part in an intelligent ld its survival upto 1815. Then we have Geography soons or the basic climatic conditions in Sri Lanka and lustrate that of late, the quality of the graduates and the even the purposes for which the university exists have and women of ability, people who could hold positions ve or technological world, then we are not getting that
percussions which are taking place quite subtly in the graduates the foreign consultants are reigning supreme. increasing numbers. Even for a simple thing like the foreign consultants despite the fact that we have had iges and all kinds of irrigation works. These are the selves responsible. All this costs the country valuable rtion of the foreign aid received on maintaining foreign Sultants attached to every big project - one project I the very fact they have rented houses in that area have upcountry.
a renewed role to play in this country which has had logical skills that the country needs are not being deveone, as in 1948, when we were dependent on foreign gically dependent. We are now on the threshold of ve not been adequately sensitive to these developments.

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His Excellency's statement that there is prol very necessary to quickly review the current program no emphasis on quality. In order to reverse the trend academic standards is very important. Proliferation I of staff and students and making sacrifices at the nation input expected from the universities if not in the past directly involved in development projects which are clo of the old university teachers belonging to the old schc not agree with this. They may advocate that universiti selves from the problems of the society. The Zoologi should not be bothered about the forest cover and the et research to see whether certain species of satin wood cannot afford to engage exclusively in pure research. the manpower and resources for this purpose. I got back into their shell of pure research without attempt
From what I have seen of universities in ot research is not ignored - universities like Harvard for at the same time, they get very much involved in a w point of view of the nation. Many universities in the do research on space travel and nuclear energy for wal do this because we are not funded as lavishly as these u foundations and also government and other official a this does not preclude our universities from getting ins into areas of high cost technology where sophisticat logical needs are relatively simple and we can harness research which can contribute to promote developme settlement projects.
As a member of the National Science Coun for research grants that come from the universities one instance, we found several people wanting to do point I wish to emphasise is that although research gr: some cases the National Science Council has funded : project but no results have been forthcoming so far. available the output is not satisfactory. One reason time, in spite of the fact that university teachers enjo time for preparation because year in year out they rep examination work, but the fact is that they enjoy a thre
The other aspect is the lack of emphasis or foreign universities for our higher degrees and trai scholarships from foreign universities cannot get postg because it gives rise ultimately to the heavy dependenc needs, only about 0.5 per cent of those capable of doin work. Even today foreign resources are not freely av from key posts. If the tradition of having postgrad Statistics existed, our dependency on foreign advice wo sity development the number of local Ph. D.s are few : degrees. We have under-rated the capacity of our S. We feel that if a graduate goes to U.K. and writes ( who has never been to an castern country, is more c our own country who are very much involved and knc names are put up to the University Council they are re. the degree has been recommended it has not been a the candidate has done good work he hasn't got the

feration without consolidation is very apt. It may be himes for extending university education with little or s that are incipiently emerging consolidation and raising means we are dissipating resources, diluting the quality all level in terms of low quality manpower. What is the at least in the future. The universities must get more se to your own discipline. You might not agree. Some ol and who are now living in a World of their own may es should concentrate on pure research and isolate them sts or Botanists in the university might think that they :ology of the Mahaweli area but should engage in primary s 300 years or 400 years old. A poor country like ours let us leave much of this to the rich countries which have the feeling today that the academics were trying to get ting to make any impact on society.
her countries there are two facets to their work. Pure instance, have a strong component of pure research but ide range of practical work which is significant from the : United States undertake strategic and defence contracts, and peacetime uses. We are not always in a position to universities which have two sources of funding, the private gencies which are interested in defence contracts etc.But folved in development problems because we are not going ed equipment and laboratories are needed. Our technoavailable resources to do pure research and also applied ht in some of the major irrigation, construction and land
cil one disappointing fact is that some of the applications have little practical orientation and poor planning. In research on the reproductive system of the buffalo. The ants are given liberally the final output is minimal. In research work to the extent of Rs. 600,000 for a single
This means that even where funding and resources are given for not completing research projects is the lack of y long vacations and many of them do not reed much at the same lectures. Of course, it is true that they have !e months vacation which we public servants do not have.
postgraduate studies. We have become dependent on ining facilities are so limited that those who do not get aduate degrees here. This has had serious repercussions y on foreign educational institutions. In relation to our g higher studies get the opportunity of doing postgraduate ailable and there is also the question of releasing people late studies in key subjects like Science, Economics and uld be gradually reduced. Even after 35 years of univerand far between although there have been several Masters 2nior staff to Sinervise research and their general quality. in Agricultural Credit in Sri Lanka the supervisor there, ompetent to supervise a Ph. D. candidate while people in w more about the subject are overlooked and even if the lected on some flimsy ground. There are cases even when warded because university authorities feel that although capacity to write a thesis because his supervisors have

Page 63
not been teachers at the University of London or Can the quality of our own staff.
Only yesterday I was at lunch with an eminent here to advise on the design of a sample survey on tea limitations and the researchers came to me and said th the consultant could not give much useful advice. to bring him here for one week. It is up to the academi

6
bridge. I, therefore, appeal to you not to under-rate
Professor in Statistics from the U.S.A. who has come and rubber, While speaking to him, I discovered his by should have discussed the project with me because st must have cost the World Bank at least U.S.S 8,000 : community to take corrective action in all these areas.

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6
SESSION 3
DSC
Prof. Crusz
I would like to answer just three points. T. from the Department of Zoology - we are only intere
On the second point, I agree with Dr. Karun the expertise is there but never forget that we need the we have certain conditions - and the experts come unc Development, the Departments of Zoology at Perade. environmental impact of the accelerated Mahaweli pr D.s are involved and one junior teacher, an M.Sc., is month. We have to make adjustments in our teachi the extent of the sacrifices We make for it and we connected with development work is wrong. They us come out from these consultants we are hardly ment
The third point - NSC research grants. For reports from departmental heads or senior staff and n I have documented proof that grants have been given t monitoring has been done. Reports of the head of c by the National Science Council of Sri Lanka.
Fourthly, Dr. Karunatilake accused us of n( facilities that Prof. Bawa complained of, see our equ get those Ph.D.s for a long time until these basic fac all the wherewithal to originate ideas and get the re.
Prof. K. Arudpragasam
A lot of important matters have been raised be justified. Dr. Karunatilake referred to the lack c in this country way back in 1968 and my departm that some of the other departments have also prod that Prof. Crusz mentioned. This year we have been to buy books. There is a statement somewhere to say teachers to see whether they are keeping in step with one do this without money to buy books.
Dr. Karunatilake also spoke of the lack o University continues to publish and there are other jo that we have been working as Advisors to the Ministr Department of Fisheries. I personally have a Rs. 80,0 The Swedish officials who came to monitor progres Chancellor that they are sending another person out and from government. I am quite sure there are an collaborated in similar research projects.
On the question of writing books -I wrote a bo in 1968 in Sinhala. I have now written another boo If I devote some time I will be able to write a book of a viable proposition? How many books will be bough

Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
USSION
he applicants for research grants on Buffaloes were not sted in buffaloes in a metaphorical Way.
tilake that we have a tradition of building dams and all money to build them. Attached to the loans and grants der these agreements. Taking the question of Mahaweli thiya and Colombo are involved in the assessment of oject. Some of our scientists including two Senior Ph.
out there on the field for weeks and sometimes nearly a ng Schedules to undertake these assignments. That is ind it worthwhile. So the whole bogey that we are not e our scientists to do the research but when the reports ioned.
goodness sake monitor them and see that you get regular nake sure that research work is going on satisfactorily. o people who have been bluffing in their research and no lepartment and senior supervisors have been by-passed
pt providing enough Ph.D.s. Come and see our library ipment and our facilities for research. You will never ilities are given to us, although I agree with you we have search done.
by Dr. Karunatilake and some of his criticisms cannot of Ph.D.s - I produced the first Ph.D. in Natural Science ent produced two M.Phil. students last year. I am sure uced post-graduate degrees in spite of the limitations given the princely sum of Rs. 35,000 for six departments that it is necessary to monitor the activities of university present developments in their fields of study. How does
f research. The Journal of Science is one which the urnals too. The Vice Chancellor, Colombo will confirm y of Fisheries for some time and collaborating with the )00 grant from the International Foundation for Science. is were so impressed that they have written to the Viceto ensure that we get enough support from institutions umber of other university staff members who have also
bok for the Advanced Level in Zoology that was published k for the Advanced Level which is awaiting publication. reasonable standard for use in the university. But is this t? Who is the publisher who will undertake publication?

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The attitude that Dr. Karunatilake takes is simplistic.
that we have to function in society and we have to thinl I speak for the University community as a whole. We a by people who make damaging statements without bot that he has read everybook published in Sri Lanka. I do
Regarding foreign experts there is now a pro a grant of $42 m. has been made by Japan. They are as part of the package deal, although there are sufficien
Dr. S. Bandaranayake
I think that those of us in the University will : But on the subject of research I am afraid I have to c. research output in this country in absolute terms the published and unpublished research. This is certainly the Natural Sciences. The difference is that universit in my paper and it is not institutionalised. I don't w but I must say it is different from the research done by is research which has an extremely low visibility and th It is certainly inadequate from our point of view but f we still produce the bulk of the research in this countr
Prof. A. Liyanagamage
Dr. Karunatilake raised some issues which W but in particular the declining standard of education at back we discussed the question of the Special Arts Deg 200 applicants and we had only one Ph.D. in Economic a large intake of students and advised that we take Head of the Department replied that although there the best persons from the Central Bank would be com was also mentioned. Some of these students got Fi students who came up for interviews at the Central B, on this matter. Of course the entire blame cannot b the question of admissions to the Special Arts Degree intake to 100, which was still too many, out of the 2 question was discussed in the Department, Faculty increasing the number of admissions, but the Head of decision on his own responsibility to admit all the ap
Dr. V. Ramakrishnan
Dr. Karunatilake raised the question of sup needs. I think he is measuring us by both standards. will result in lowering of standards. One the other han needs and finds it of low quality. It is a pity that bot contents of Dr. Karunatilake's speech will be presented reply to it.
Prof. H. A. de S. Gunasekera
We have all beeen stimulated if not provoked
Bank does not send its research officers for postgradua we have a real problem in the shortage of books and

63
He is talking of the University in society but he forgets in the context of funds, publishing facilities and demand. re getting a little tired of being criticised at various places hering to find out the true facts. Dr. Karunatilake says n't think that this is possible.
losal to set up a Mariculture station in the country and bringing experts from Japan to carry out the programme t qualified people in this country.
gree with some of the points made by Dr. Karunatilake. ontest his statement. In fact in any quantification of university will account for at least 70-80 per cent of the true of the Social Sciences and I think it is also true of y research is mostly individual research, a point made ant to inject any institutional rivalry into the argument say the Research Department of the Central Bank. It at perhaps accounts for the feeling that it is inadequate. rom a viewpoint outside the University we can say that
y.
fe should have discussed ourselves. Not all of them, the university should cause serious concern. Sometime ree in Economics at Kelaniya University. There were : History and a few M.Sc.S. The staff were against such a lesser number of students and do justice to them. The were only a few qualified staff in the Faculty some of ling as Visiting Lecturers and Dr. Karunatilake's name irsts and Upper Seconds and they were probably the ank. So that you have also to take some responsibility e put on you, there are also lapses on our side. On in Economics, the Department advised restricting the :00 applicants on the basis of aggregate marks. The and finally the Senate and all of them decided against the Campus, not the present Vice Chancellor, took a plicants. How can we then maintain quality?
ply and demand and also the other issue of national
On the one hand he wants us to open the gates which d he is trying to measure our output in terms of national h standards are being coalesced into one. I hope the in the form of a paper so that we can reflect on it and
by Dr. Karunatilake. May I ask why the Central te degrees to the local universities? You know that other facilities.

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Dr. Karunatilake also mentioned the lack of are several reasons why the Sri Lankan universit Dr. Karunatilake to be aware of some of the myths should know that with increasing numbers of students t and it has become a real problem to keep to deadlines - papers. The reason for the lack of publications is that the reading habit has declined considerably.
Regarding the influx of foreign consultants I versity community is willing to take part in developme university in their research projects? How many researc personnel? The blame does not lie entirely with the ur is also vulnerable in these respects.

research papers emanating from the universities. There tes do not produce sufficient research. We expect ike University professors enjoying long vacations. He le load of examination papers to be marked is very heavy in fact the long vacation is not long enough for marking t is no longer a viable proposition to publish books since
think the Central Bank is itself an offender. The Unint projects but has the Central Bank tried to involve the h projects has the Central Bank farmed out to university liversity in all these matters and I think the Central Bank

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SESSION 3
Panel I
Prof. A. W. Mailvaganam
Mr. Chairman, I rise to the defence of univers insults at University men by persons who are themsel Alternate Chairman, Dr. Karunatilake, whether the cc Central Bank officials purchased onions and vegetables newspapers and the broadcasts of the S.L.B.C. is 80 Rs. 1180 for brinjals in the local market. Has the Ce this difference in price? Is the Cost of Living Inde) treats it as a joke.
Please therefore refrain from criticising men w higher remuneration elsewhere. But they have preferr of a sense of duty to their country.
If today in Sri Lanka we do not have a bank ( on their accumulated service and experience in various about 1945 the top personnel who ran the government the country. Sri Lankans took their places and in t available to the government. At the moment, all the colonial office in London.
I wish to set the record straight regarding the now as a member of the University Grants Commissic with the University College and the University of Ceylc those seated round this conference table had thought ( learning at the feet of eight Nobel Prize winners at Ca to university personnel in Sri Lanka not to be discou I and several of my colleagues could have gone abroad money was no concern of ours - we wanted job satisfactic I was interested in my studies, my research and my tea this conference table but throughout the length and b. happy in the choice of their profession.
I wish that the people who attempt to criticisel of the Universities of Europe, by Rashdall in four volu J. H. Newman, books that I read in Cambridge after joi know how the idea of a University originated and the oldest Universities are those of Padua, Sorbonne, Up behind every one of these foundations was to create a in applications of knowledge gained within the four w; immediate day to day problems to solve let us set up polytechnics and institutions like the London School of day problems.
The ancient Universities produced people of t was one of pure thought. A more recent incarnation of who was Sadlerian Professor of Pure Mathematics at 1 Pure Mathematicians. He set up a Society of Pure M

65
Chairman: DR. R. P. JAYEWARDENE
Discussion
ties and university personnel. It is quite easy to throw res in a vulnerable position. I would like to ask the introlled price of onions is realistic. Have any of the in the Pettah? The price of brinjals according to the daily its. in the Pettah market. The following day I pay ntral Bank or any other authority done anything about
prepared by the Central Bank meaningful? Everyone
ho if they wished to could have secured jobs at a much :d to stay here more because of job satisfaction and out
of personnel on whom the government can depend based government departments and services, it is because till
departments were all Englishmen, who retired and left he course of time their experience and expertise will be expertise gained in Sri Lanka is at the disposal of the
criticism levelled at the Universities. I am not talking on but as a University teacher who has been associated on for over a period of 51 years, before the parents of of these off-spring. I also had the benefit of five years mbridge, Britain's foremost University. I would appeal aged by this uninformed criticism. It makes me angry. in the 1940s and we could have got well paid jobs. But on. It was not love of the country that kept me here. ching. I am proud and happy to find not only around eadth of Sri Lanka my own students doing well and
niversities would take the trouble to read “The History nes or at least A University for Ireland' by Cardinal ning the staff of University College. These critics should oncept of “studium generalis” from which it arose. The sala, Oxford and then Cambridge. The main purpose :ommunity of pure thought, not a community interested lls of the classroom to the outside world. If there are polytechnics as France did. In U.K. too there are Economics which are concerned with practical day to
e calibre of Erasmus and Abelard. To them the world Erasmus and Abelard was the late Professor G.H. Hardy, he University of Cambridge. Hardy was the purest of athematicians and he insisted that anyone tainted with

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the least bit of Applied Mathematics should be kept to submit his research papers before a Screening Cor Mathematics in the research work the application was
followed by a dinner at which Hardy proposed the toas may it prove to be of no damned use to anybody'. I
in the Universities of Sri Lanka with which I am now as to be of no damned use to anybody.
I want the staff of universities to exercise pure thought, paradoxically enough, which leads to fundamer national problems. Because the moment you gear yo who cannot see on either side but only straight ahead his mind roam at will over the areas of his choice with fessor Hardy who sought to keep Mathematics pure, entire civilisation of the mid-twentieth century is basec Therefore the purer the scientist, the purer and less at government, the greater the contribution it will eventual mistakes and I do hope that no one in this country teaching and research to everyday life.
I would like to overwork Hardy a little mo asked what is University Education. I mentioned th staff of Sri Jayawardenapura University and I would University, to pay special attention to Professor Harc Education is that which remains after you have forgo a substrate which remains after the knowledge has dis in the case of university teachers but it does evapo or take up other jobs outside the university. What i to think from first principles, the ability to solve a has had a university education in the real sense of the it in a wider perspective. He approaches the problem problems, solved and unsolved. This substrate is n Chemistry, Botany or Zoology or the Humanities. C is independent of the discipline.
I must speak my mind out because I cannot si primary requisite for research is the freedom of atmos time of Sir Ivor Jennings. We are now beginning to Colombo, I cannot speak for the other universities. hands of the vandals fell upon the University - not Chancellors, but also politicians and their stooges wer and the Head of the University Grants Commission is universities. I am happy to work as a member of th same way as I do, otherwise I would have left the U. I felt it my duty to speak out. Thank you Mr. Cha
Mr. Bradman Weerakoon
Prof. Mailvaganam has just dealt with some good defence of university personnel. I feel that I ha ment with the university but perhaps because of my inv that exists between the university graduate and the gov of the Social Science Research Centre when she invit aspect. Without getting involved in the internal acti university produces from the point of view of a consum a discussion which, during the short while that I was

out. An applicant for membership of this society had mittee and if there was the slightest trace of Applied ejected. At the end of every year there was a gathering to the Society thus: "Here's to Pure Mathematics want the Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology taught ociated as a member of the University Grants Commission
unadulterated thought because it is such unadulterated tal research which is eventually going to solve the country's urself to national needs you put on blinkers like horses . A university teacher or professor must be free to let no limitation whatsoever. It is indeed strange and Prowere he living today, would be shocked to find that the on the purest of Pure Mathematics viz. Linear Algebra. lulterated the subject is with the day to day problems of ly make. I dont want you gentlemen to make any
will talk the utter nonsense of gearing university
re to drive the point home. Professor Hardy was once is recently at a meeting with the Vice Chancellor and
like those present here, especially the members of the ly's reply. He thought for a while and said "University tten all that you have learnt at the university'. There is appeared. This knowledge does not of course disappear rate in the case of graduates who become administrators s this substrate and what remains in it? It is the ability problem. Most of us bypass problems. The man who word, has the ability to smell and sense a problem and see not as an isolated one but in relation to a number of other ot the peculiar property of any discipline-Physics or Dnce the subject knowledge has evaporated, the residue
t and listen to my colleagues being unjustly accused. The phere. We had that in the University of Ceylon in the have it again since 1979, at least in the University of By and large from the time Sir Ivor Jennings left us, the
only power seeking individuals who sought to be Vice e responsible. I feel that things are brightening up now doing his best to restore freedom and order in the e U.G.C. because the Chairman, Dr. Kalpage feels the G.C. by now. I hope I have not offended anybody but 1IIT18II.
of the criticisms made by Dr. Karunatilake and put up a ve been invited to speak today not because of my involvelvement with the government and the possible relationship rnment as an employer. As I mentioned to the Secretary ld me, I could perhaps make some observations on this vities of the university, I will try and look at what the 3r of university products. I feel this may be of some use in here, ranged over many interesting and important issues.

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One of the points made both here and outsic that is coming out of the university fo be used as mat subject to a lot of criticism. There has been recent of letters published regarding a statement made by th quality of graduates coming for interviews for jobs. The general impression is that the quality is below par
I like to make this my starting point because i saying this because I am afraid of being attacked by t believe it. I have had an opportunity to work both in the quality of the recent graduates recruited to the ad the Colombo set-up there is undoubtedly a great deal ( is certainly a plus point.
Another point I would like to make is that whe kind of interrogation that we do, we are perhaps guil perceptions of what is good and valuable and how we ex graduates should be expected to know some of the thing the President of France is and how his name is pronounce part, although I might know the answer to the first p on our judgement of quality is something we should g university products.
Then there is another factor that has come up i. is subject to while he passes through the factory. He com very wide with the introduction of free education. In th of Sri Lanka was only 6.5 million while the population university came almost exclusively from the upper an cricket and tennis, took part in the Dram Soc and oth and was considered to be a product of quality whatever whatever he picked up at the university was probably university at home and through various other contact back to this kind of situation which existed in our time a out today. This may be true in one sense but there : try to keep in focus the difficulties faced by the unc intense competition, financial problems, lack of textbook lack of library facilities, language problems, shortages return back to that golden age. We must try and th product which is willy-nilly on our hands and make it of society.
Here, while not going all the way with Prof. Mai producing people for the needs of the country or of soc person we are trying to produce and for what purposes qualified people to achieve them, that could perhaps b consultants who say that we are training people too m we are often criticised for spending our limited resources standards so that they get easily absorbed into hospit; eg. that of a medical assistant, we don’t have enough tI programmes particularly in the rural areas are hamper need is not very high quality people, we might need a middle level trained people for routinised jobs to meet quality but we do require other traits, the ability to th a disciplined manner. Possibly these are the things t learned in the university - a general ability and training What we need is probably this kind of semi-processed

67
e is about the quality of the product. This product, trial for the government machine seems to be generally y a newspaper controversy on this issue and a number Secretary, Ministry of Plan Implementation about the This point was also raised by Dr. Karunatilake today. or at least not what it used to be sometime ago,
is not entirely a position that I would share. I am not he university teachers present here but because I really Colombo and at the district level. I can say this about ministrative service, however much they may not fit in f fit when they work in the field at district level. This
in we interview these graduates and subject them to the y in some way of putting into our questions our own pect them to behave. I don't really know why these s we ask them. We might fire a question at them - who d and even I wouldn't know the answer to the second art. This kind of reflection of one's own perceptions uard against as administrators, when interviewing these
in the discussion-the kind of pressures which the graduate 2s from a much wider circle now that the net has been cast e 1950s when, to take just one statistic, the population now is 15 million, the type of student who entered the d middle classes. The average undergraduate played 2r acitvities, passed the degree as Something in his stride
that may mean. He was a mixture of many things and marginal, much of his education took place outside the S. When we judge the present products we are going nd saying we were much better than they who are coming are very complex reasons for this situation. We should ergraduates today-the constraint of large numbers, the s and the difficulties faced by the universities themselves of funds, personnel etc. We cannot keep hoping for a ink of what we could do to inprove the quality of the better adapted to the present needs of the economy and
lvaganam who was totally against the idea of a university ety I would perhaps go half way and see what kind of a . If there are development goals and we require degree e a limited objective. Often we come across foreign uch at too high a level. Particularly in the medical field in training very good people who are up to international ls and research institutes abroad. At the middle level aining programmes and consequently our development d by a shortage of staff. In my opinion what we really few of them but in the main we need large numbers of he needs of the society. We don't need high intellectual ink conceptually and analyse a problem and to work in lat remain after you have forgotten all that you have without perhaps a great deal of professional knowledge. product coming out of the universities at the graduate

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level. It is then up to the government to recruit these g programmes to make them fit into the needs of society
Mr. Sarath Amunugama
I wish to briefly focus on two major areas. society, I think we should pay more attention to the r university context. Given the reality of free education of parents in sending their children to the university - university as they play a crucial role in the formation
Prof. Mailvaganam very correctly defined the ship existed between the teacher and the student anc atmosphere. How much of this classical relationship c of concern. It did exist in the University of Ceylon i. There are two aspects. One is imparting information technology, availability of different media of teaching c the classical university pattern. But certainly in the initimate relationship between the student and the te some of the problems that were highlighted by Dr. K shortcomings can be found in the nuts and bolts of th analysed and corrective action taken.
One is a little diffident to go all the way with
pursue knowledge for its own sake, not to cater to the gown. We all respect this point of view but this is ol ties of modern times compel us to examine and perha in any way superior but today we live in a very comple factor which disturbs me is the lack of institutional acc to have an impact on university education and curricu in the heart of the oil fields in Canada, a university whi of the city and the community. For instance in de the intake of staff and Students, the city exerted its influe men and entrepreneurs. There was always pressure
accommodate the developing needs of the particular in
At present if one takes a critical look at our enough support for the new industries. After all non are providing employment have any say on the type of lack of dialogue between the people who are finding of training and disciplines and the courses offered in
For the sake of argument suppose the gover perhaps); we will find the interplay of forces in the col to make the University more adaptable and realistic t areas which we have to take very seriously because of graduates seeking employment and trying to influen taught and know personally and it is a human traged tackled first.
A major problem then is to allow this access to the d consumers of university services - to enable this sector
The second area which I have a personal interc Policy makers do not have enough access to universit not the researchers. Whenever there is a research cc the prospect of university personal doing the research fi

raduates and have a sufficiency and adequacy of training
or the economy. Thank you Mr. Chairman.
Since the subject of this discussion is the university and lationship between the student and the teacher in the in Sri Lanka and the huge investment by a large number we should examine the relationships that exist inside the and development of the university undergraduate.
lassical type of university where a very personal relation| information and knowledge was imparted in a close btains in our Universities today? This is a major area the 1950s and 1960s but it does not exist any longer. and here we must recognise that due to advances in to., this aspect need not exclusively be performed within other aspect i.e. the free exploration of ideas - the very acher is of great importance. If we analyse in depth arunatilake and Mr. Weerakoon, the reasons for these e educational system. This is something that has to be
what Prof. Mailvaganam said that the University should 2 outside world - i.e. the town should not intrude on the nly one model. There are other models which the realips adopt. I am not saying that these latter models are x world and we have to take note of these realities. One dess to enable areas which are developing in our economy la. I was fortunate to study at the University of Calgary ich developed almost entirely as a result of the pressures :termining the establishment of departments and chairs ince through the Senate which consisted of leading business on the university to produce chemical engineers etc. to dustries that were coming up in the area.
higher educational structures, one finds that there is not 2 of the Gnanams and the Dasas - the entrepreneurs who courses we fashion at the university. There seems to be a 2mployment and who will feel the need for certain types the university.
nment sets up Private Universities (a horrendous thought mmunity working on the University and various pressures o the needs of a changing economy. These are the two we find, as Mr. Weerakoon mentioned, a large number 2e politicians and administrators. Some of them we have v. But it is the institutional problems which have to be
emand sector i.e. those who are creating the jobs and are o have an impact on the decisions made in the University.
st in, is the impact of university research on policy making. y research and here the policy makers are at fault and mponent built into a project we don't always look into rus. Even existing research is not made use of in policy

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formulation. I would agree with Dr. Karunatilake th: the classical model of the university which works in tot have its virtues but we are dealing with a large numbe university teachers have a real meaning for them in the s fore I think that there is a need for a close dialogue b Thank you.
Dr. D. A. Kotelawea
Mr. Chairman, I will confine myself to comm today, emphasizing certain aspects which I feel are of
Prof. Halpe brought out the question of aims Crusz's paper laid down some of the primary objective Prof. Mailvaganam's views.
Another viewpoint was eXpressed by Dr. Kar which I feel is not directly opposed to the views of Pro classical objectives of university education it is still po functions. It has been clearly and emphatically stated versities are in fact directly involved in research project of the country. Therefore, I see no direct conflict betw
Another matter I would like to draw your atti cation as a prerequisite for remedying certain defects i. Prof. Jayaweera pointed out that in the schools now th from the Science streams. It was also pointed out that th among the university students for which the schools are secondary school level is poor and we should take note be taken in consultation with the Ministry of Education of secondary education in general and English in parti
Prof. Jayaweera brought out another importa admission to the universities. Not only universities bu note of this problem which calls for immediate action. students is severely limited and as a result there is a larg being left out without adequate avenues of access to o expand technical education and this may be a partial sol
Prof. Nadarajah mentioned a proposal to ama of the university. In Sri Lanka we have the tendency tertiary education that do not come under the sec Aesthetic Studies and the Ayurvedic Institute were for so; creating a large number of problems. Similar probler College and Law Faculty within the university system : examined.
With regard to the teaching of Social Sciences primarily valid but I don't know why he was looking fo research in the universities and I am not sure whether t research. There has been a fairly high output of resear history, politics. As Dr. Bandaranayake pointed out i there is a paucity of research. This is due to the fact tha relatively recently and also the migration of our best tale with time, perhaps within the university structure itself, staff trained gradually. I don't see the need for a cer social sciences.

69
t we cannot in the context of present realities accept l isolation from the pressures of that society. It may
of young pxople and what we do as policy makers or inse their lives depend on the decisions we take. Theretween the policy makers and the university personnel.
2nts on some of the discussions that have taken place importance.
und objectives of University Education. I think Prof. s of university education and they agreed broadly with
unatilake and supported partly by Mr. Amunugama, fessors Crusz and Mailvaganam. While adhering to the sible for the university to perform its social and other
by Professors Arudpragasam and Crusz that the unithat have a direct bearing on the development efforts veen these two ideals and aims of university education.
ntion to is the need for strengthening secondary eduin the education imparted at present in the universities. ere is a tendency for the Arts stream to get the rejects here is a serious inadequacy in the knowledge of English : primarily to blame. The standard of teaching at the of this at the university. Some remedial action should to evolve solutions to the problem of poor standards cular.
int point-the explosion of numbers of those seeking t also social planners and statesmen should take serious The present capacity of the university system to admit ge percentage of those who have qualified for admission her forms of higher education. There is a proposal to ution to this problem.
lgamate the Ceylon Law College with the Law Faculty to bring under the university umbrella all forms of ondary school system. For instance the School of ne strange reason brought within the university structure as could be created by the amalgamation of the Law Lnd I feel that this is a matter that should be carefully
, Dr. Bandaranayake made some comments which are r a centralising concept in promoting social science here was a crying need for establishing institutionalised :h in a number of social science disciplines - geography, in two key areas - sociology and social anthropology - these two disciplines were introduced into the country nt in these two fields. I feel that solutions will evolve once these disciplines become well established and the tralising concept to develop these two areas within the

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One thing that strikes me as a univesrsity te work in the social sciences at the university. We shoul consider setting up a separate unit for this purpose.
Finally coming to Dr. Karunatilake's critic Mr. Weerakoon on the question of replies given by gra might not fare too well at this kind of interview as he
Prof. K. Kailasapathy
Of those who spoke today and took part in th ging to the Faculty of Humanities. Without getting Mailvaganam's polarised views, I would like to say to Prof. Mailvaganam was like reading some of the w elemental in force. He defended university personnel with a standpoint somewhat similar to that of Dr. K responsibility on the part of universities. But I have cl In the face of wanton attacks on the universities, we doubt that the universities need to be defended.
With the clarity of a perfect executive the Vic various bodies of the universities that have come to be of the Chairman of the U.G.C., and serious thinking a of view.
As an insider and not as an outsider like Mr. structural changes have been made to enable Smooth pl such an exercise beginning with the Act and the variou and thereafter the analysis of the different courses in th the Humanities were somewhat left out although Dr. Ba in the Social Sciences. I hope it is not uncharitable reflected in the earlier administration, the Senate Hous the U.G.C. Even though it may not be experessly state down to the university - the Humanities and Arts Fa unconsciously manifested in the seminar itself by not g their opinions on the various aspects in which the fa education.
Having mentioned these points, I feel that sinc be to bring some of the points mentioned into closer medical and engineering faculties is clear, the total net we often talk of the advancement of science and cultu this is a matter for the individual universities and facul so used to working in slavery that we are unable to map extent. But that is not the whole truth.
From my experience in Jaffna, I think that ther peculiar only to Jaffna, in the fashioning of new areas or establishing of new centres of learning where it has it is. Even the present autonomy is insufficient. T I think it was Dr. Karunatilake who mentioned the Sci single university is not strong enough or may not hav relationship between the arts and the sciences. I wi the debate of the two cultures in Cambridge a couple university education, I think these matters are beyor individual university will not be able to take a decision

acher is that there is no proper curriculum development d take serious note of this and perhaps the U.G.C. might
ism of the universities, I am inclined to agree with duates at interviews. I feel that Dr. Karunatilake himself
was not aware of the exact number of campuses.
Le Panel discussion probably I am the only speaker belon
into the controversy of Dr. Karunatilake's and Prof. that as a person representing the Humanities, listening orks of the Renaissance artists with a passion almost
and we are thankful to him. I came to this seminar arunatilake: the need for greater social awareness and langed my position after listening to Prof. Mailvaganam. need to defend ourselves and our values. There is no
e Chancellor of Colombo University has argued that the ing with the new Act have cleared the decks, in the words nd planning can now take place from the long term point
Amunugama, I will have to accept the position that basic lanning for the future. Today's seminar itself was perhaps is structural and operational changes and implementation e various faculties. In fact either by design or by omission ndaranayake would perhaps like to encompass Humanities to say that downgrading of the Humanities was also e and the Board of Governors of the University and now 2d this attitude emanates from the U.G.C. and percolates culties are given low priority. This is consciously or giving an important voice to the Humanities or seeking culty could contribute to the development of university
ce this session is one of summing up my approach should focus. While the need for various applied sciences, 2d for culture in society is not clearly defined - although re in the same breath. Prof. Kalpage might say that ties to work out. I have often heard him say that we are out our destinies, which may probably be true to some
2 is a certain amount of no-man's land, and it is not of study, new courses or the extension of existing subjects s not been clearly demarcated as to whose responsibility he total effect on culture and society has to be considered ence syndrome. I think that the Faculty or Senate of a re adequate resources to think in national terms of the ould refer you to the late C. P. Snow who started of years ago. As a teacher interested and involved in ld the purview of a single faculty or university. An or set the pattern in the priorities to be given to various

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subjects and the relationship between them. I don't me is always there. How are We going to create the so-cal substratum or what eventually remains of university ed that substratum has to do with the concept of culture
left entirely to a Faculty or Senate. In the context of the Arts Faculty gets the drop-outs from Medical, Engin or less "intelligent' university students that we have t and policy makers of the future. Then there are the knowledge of Sinhala and Tamil, not just in terms of language. This is reflected in the fall in the number C G. C. E. (A.L.). An indivudual faculty or senate ca attitude for example to what the role of language shoul have to rectify the lack of interest and the falling of to the universities. These are the things which affect
Finally, some universities may in the context inclinations for research, wish to carve out certain centre I am not certain Whether the present structures will en for these ventures have to come from the U.G.C. May the structural aspects of the university set up is fairly Prof. Crusz said, "We are even prepared to receive an the concept of freedom is very valuable and idealistic, we and the needs of the country and the U.G.C. should g implement these ideas. One of the functions of the U influence certain areas which are necessary for the furt. the country. While the hierarchical set-up is clear for areas like syllabuses and curricula the larger visions of e and culture should be the concern of a central body li from bottom and go upwards or start from the top an is adopted some serious thought should be given to th of the problems and accusations that Dr. Karunatilake
Dr. S. Kalpage
There is a mechanism whereby the larger vis disciplines can be discussed and these are the five stal chaired by a member of the U.G.C. There are about opted when necessary. The Chairman of the Standing fessor Kingsley de Silva. I will be happy to ask Prof. E
Chairman - Dr. R. P. Jayewardene
I wish to thank all of you for participating it
a very long day with a lot of useful discussions and sor will prove to be fruitful and some useful ideas will com

71
in just the money allocated although that question ed quality education of which We talk so often. The ucation as Dr. Mailvaganam said is very important and and the men. We are going to produce. This cannot be present priorities, Dr. Swarna Jayaweera mentioned that sering and Science and it is from these so-called backward produce the communicators, linguists, administrators problems of teaching in Swabasha and the decline in numbers but the attitudes being developed towards the f candidates sitting the Sinhala and Tamil papers in the nnot take significant steps in developing a meaningful i be in the teaching of all subjects in the university. We tandards in Sinhala and Tamil right from the schools the quality of education.
of their resources, the availability of staff and personal s of learning not strictly within Departments or Faculties. able a University Senate to create such centres. Grants be within the Financial Code and Administrative Code clear. But this is not enough and in these matters as order'. I won't go so far but I will say that although should also keep in focus the larger visions of education give more practical thought to how the universities can J.G.C. is to evaluate co-ordinate and even create and her development of the cultural and scientific aspects of universities to plan and implement programmes in most ducation and society and problems of national language ke the U.G.C. and it must clear a path. It can come d go downwards or meet halfway. Whatever method ese matters and that will ultimately help to solve some
has made. Thank you.
ions of education and the relationship between various nding committees of the U.G.C. Each Committee is 5 or 7 members in each committee and more can be coCommittee for Humanities and Social Sciences is ProKingsley de Silva to invite you also to give your views.
this seminar and joining in the discussions. We had ne heat has been generated too. I hope the discussions e out of the seminar. Thank you very much.

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Mr. S. Amunugama Mr. D. Arampatta Prof. K. Arudpragasam Prof. (Mrs.) Daphne Attygalle Prof. Wimal G. Balagalle Dr. Senaka Bandaranayake Prof. I. Balasooriya
Dr. S. A. Cabraal
Dr. M. S. A. Cader
Miss. Diana Captain
Prof. H. Crusz
Prof. C. Dahanayake Prof. (Mrs.) L. L. Devaraja
Prof. R. N. D. de Fonseka
Dr. S. R. de S. Chandrakeerthy Mr. L. C. A. de S. Wijesinghe
Prof. D. D. de Saram
Prof. C. R. de Silva
Mrs. Daya de Silva
Prof. K.M. de Silva
Mrs. C. de Silva
Prof. W. A. de Silva
Dr. H. W. DiaS
Dr. K. Dissanaike
Dr. J. B. Dissanayake Mr. Y. Duraiswamy Prof. P. W. Epasinghe Mrs. C. M. Fernando
Prof. H. V. J. Fernando
Dr. J.N. O. Fernando
Dr. M.J. Fernando
Dr. Neil Fonseka
Dr. S. Gnanalingam Dr. R. D. Gunaratne Prof. H. A. de S. Gunasekera Dr. H. D. Gunawardene Prof. Ashley Halpe Prof. A. A. Hoover Dr. K. H. Jayasinghe Dr. F. L. W. Jayawardene
LIST OF P

ARTICIPANTS

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Sq. Ldr. M. R. Jayawardene Dr. R. P. Jayewardene Mr. W. A. Jayawardene Prof. (Mrs.) S. Jayaweera Dr. F. S. C. P. Kalpage Prof. K. Kailasapathy Dr. H. N. S. Karunatilake
Dr. D. A. Kotelawela
Prof. S. R. Kottegoda Mr. J. Kulatilake
Prof. A. Liyanagamage Dr. R. Mahalingasivam Prof. A. W. Mailvaganam
Prof. M. Maheswaran
Prof. S. Muthulingam Prof. T. Nadarajah, Dr. (Mrs.) F. S. Niles Prof. B. L. Panditharatne
Prof. C. Patuwathavithane
Prof. K. R. S. Peiris
Prof. K. Jinadasa Perera
Mr. Bogoda. Premaratne Dr. V. Ramakrishnan
Prof. S. Ranawella
Dr. (Mrs.) K. Ratnayake Dr. W. Ratnayake Mr. M. S. M. Refai
Dr. (Miss) Mano Sabaratnam Dr. S. Satkunanathan
Mr. C. E. S. Seneviratne
Miss H. K. Seneviratne
Prof. K. N. Seneviratne Dr. Percy Silva Prof. K. Tuley Silva Prof. M. U. S. Sultanbawa
Prof. L. Tilakaratne
Dr. P. Udagama Prof. P. L. D. Waidyasekera Mr. R. B. Weerakoon Prof. (Miss) C. Wickramasooriya Prof. R. H. Wijayanayake Prof. S. Wijesundera Dr. W. M. K. Wijetunge


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