• Private universities in third-world countries

• Norochcholai Coal Power Plant

• Computer magazines

• For girls only

• Mosquitoes

Private universities in third-world countries

With the knowledge I have about universities in many parts of the world, I would like to advise prospective students and their parents on a few matters before deciding upon a university in a third-world country.

There are universities in the neighbouring third-world countries attracting foreign students mainly because of the low and affordable fees structure. However, this is the only criterion as against all other negative factors one finds in a poor third-world country.

Many Sri Lankan students join private universities in these countries as higher fees in many other countries leave them with no choice.

However, the nightmare begins for the students once they have left for their new destinations.

There are many factors to be taken into consideration before choosing a university.

For example, general living conditions in the country where the student is bound to live for 3 to 5 or 6 years, the university environment, facilities provided by the university, standard of the education, health factors and a host of other considerations.

In many third-world countries, there are absolutely no sanitary standards and children develop illnesses such as diarrhoea, respiratory problems and several other illnesses associated with unhygienic and hostile environment.

In these universities, hostels are in appalling condition lacking in basic amenities, and are often cramped up rendering it difficult for students to do their studies. Authorities are often callous when it comes to student welfare or adequate facilities for them, though these universities run mainly on the fees levied from foreign students.

There had been instances when the senior students were forced to accommodate in their already cramped up rooms newly admitted students until a hostel was built for them. Students had no 'right' to protest and had to bear up all difficulties in silence as there was no one to take up their case.

However, unfair the treatment meted out to them may be, they cannot protest as they are helpless in a foreign land, where the attitudes of people are unrefined. If they protest, they know that they would be noted for penalization at the examinations.

Power failures are frequent occurrence in these countries specially during evenings when students have a lot of study work to do. The drinking water supplied to the students' hostel in a particular university came from a nearby well and was not even fit for washing purposes.

The agents who recruit students give a rosy picture of the university, but do not say anything about the negative aspects in these countries or institutions. Parents and students realize the situation to their disbelief once the students have entered the institution for education.

Moreover, there are certain agents who exploit the students and parents who are eager to get an education in a foreign country. Some agents collect double the amount of the agreed commission using dubious ways, once the student has committed himself or herself after being selected for admission and paid the required tuition fee.

One particular agent, after receiving the agent's commission from students which is a huge sum, also collected a tidy amount claiming that the sum was to provide furniture for the student's use in their hostels, and to the students' disbelief what they were supplied with were foam mattresses without any covers, rock hard pillows without pillow covers, crudely worked wooden beds and desks made for school children.

The same agent collected another huge amount of over forty thousand rupees from each student claiming that such charges were contract/lawyers fees but no supporting document was ever produced.

It was later found that this was a scam adopted by this agent, who recruits many students every year for the third-world country private universities.

My advice to the parents who wish to send their children for higher education in such countries is for them to pay a visit to the intended university to see for themselves the conditions in the university and the environs.

They should also verify with the agent what other fees or expenses are involved and make it clear to the agent that they would not pay any 'hidden' fees or expenses.

A. P., Nugegoda.

Norochcholai Coal Power Plant

The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) wishes to congratulate President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet for the consistent stand they have adopted towards the country's power policy and for their initiative and courage in deciding to commence the much talked about and much delayed coal power plant at Norochcholai without any further delay.

It is with sadness that we note here that the successive Governments in the past have failed to understand the urgency and the importance of setting up a coal power plant to meet the country's ever increasing energy needs.

We at the IESL, over a period of almost a decade, have been agitating for a viable and cost effective power policy for the country knowing too well the adverse effects the absence of such a policy could have in the years to come on the country's economy and the industry.

We have brought this to the notice of the policymakers repeatedly.

The Institution believes that any long-term power policy should place emphasis on renewable energy as well, since we have no proven petroleum deposits.

In this respect, we are happy to note that according to the draft energy policy of the country, by the year 2015, at least 10 per cent of the country's energy requirements are to be met through renewable sources. We assure our continued support and cooperation in this regard.

We thank the media for taking our message on long-term energy policy to the public and to the decision makers at different occasions.

ENG. JAYANTHA RANATUNGA, President, The Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka.

Computer magazines

In Sri Lanka, we see a small number of computer books written by a few Sri Lankan computer specialists in Sinhala medium.

Some of these books contain lengthy, unnecessary details and sometimes, the computer users have difficulty in understanding some points mentioned in some books.

However, as we know from our experience, that computer lessons can be practised in magazines with the machine without any problem and relevant instructions are given in an understandable manner.

The use of computer is taught in State schools as a subject and necessary facilities for this purpose have been provided by the Government. Likewise, there are a number of institutes including State Institutes offering computer courses islandwide.

As a matter of fact, at a time when we're using cutting edge computer technologies, computer magazines can be considered as one that makes us aware of information technology in every way.

L. W. GAMINI CHAMINDA KUMARA, Colombo 10.

For girls only

We travel from Armour Street on 176 buses to Yasodhara Balika Vidyalaya, Borella but find it difficult to go to school in the mornings due to lack of buses. The 176 buses are over crowded and there is no room in the buses to keep even one's leg.

We get crushed inside the buses. It is difficult to get down at the Lady Ridgeway halt as the bus is fully crowded.

We appeal to our Transport Minister to provide a special SLTB bus from Hettiyawatthe to Yasodhara Balika Vidyalaya daily in the morning to reach school by 7.45 a.m. and at 2.00 p.m. in the afternoon daily exclusive for girls but other girls' school children up to Borella too could be accommodated.

M. AMRA, Colombo 12.

Mosquitoes

Reference article, 'One third of Colombo 7 houses mosquito breeding places'.

The authorities should check the schools in these areas including the Government schools such as Mahanama College which have leaking pipes in the toilets and flooded drains.

The Government Departments probably are the worst offenders. It would be interesting to know if the authorities checked any of them.

S. S., via e-mail.