Laudable educational measures for North

Our ‘Thought for the Day’ yesterday from Diogenes, we hope, acted as a stimulant for fresh contemplation and policy formulation on education. It is a priceless piece of wisdom which mankind could ignore only at its peril: ‘The foundation of every State is the education of its youth’.

Contained in this dictum are not only the principal parameters of a far-seeing educational policy but also a vision of humankind. That is, an essential feature in being human is the cultivation of one’s mind and the State is obliged to meet this vital need of its citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, class or region.

Seen from this perspective, the initiative by the Higher Education Ministry to provide building complexes to the Jaffna University to the tune of Rs. 354 million, is highly praiseworthy and welcome.

Reports also reveal that buildings for the establishment of Information Technology Centres will be constructed at the Eastern and South Eastern Universities, to meet computer education needs of the region.

Such measures are in tune with Diogenes’ wisdom on education. We hope they would be constantly kept-up because the path to peace and reconciliation is cleared by enlightened minds which expand beyond the confines of parochial sentiment and thinking. This is particularly true of conflict-affected countries such as our’s.

If reconciliation is to come Sri Lanka’s way, all of Sri Lanka’s citizens need to reach out to each other and recognize the essential humanity in one another. Herein lies the path to reconciliation and education for all easily facilitates this process, because truly educated and enlightened minds are usually free of petty biases and prejudices.

Therefore, it cannot be emphasized enough that education for all should be the cornerstone of the State’s educational policy and all measures need to be taken to realise this worthy aim. Particular care and attention should be taken to ensure that the North-East does not lose out on any educational facilities and resources which are bestowed on the South.

Discriminatory policies born of prejudice and bias have played a considerable role in alienating the youth of the North-East from the rest of the country.

This in turn, has fuelled the conflict and led to continuing political turbulence. Therefore, equitable educational opportunities and facilities are a sure means of facilitating national integration.

The need for such policy measures is underscored by the fact that in the areas where the Tigers wield some influence, in the North, there are scores of youths who have been brain - washed into believing that the other communities of the land are their archenemies. This helps in perpetuating the conflict.

If education is made available to all, such misconceptions could be eliminated and the path to national reconciliation established.