Academics and officials in Sri Lanka's northern Jaffna peninsular has debated ways to transform the agrarian and fisheries area to a knowledge-based economy with better education, a think has said.
P Balasundarampillai, a former vice chancellor of the Jaffna University has called for technical colleges and engineering universities to be established in the north to enhance the knowledge of Jaffna youth.
He was a participant in an open forum organized by the Point Pedro Point Pedro Institute of Development, a think tank and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, a German based foundation.
Balasundarampillai had cited the example of Tamilnadu in India, where tertiary education institutions were mushrooming.
During his tenure at the Jaffna University he had attempted to introduce information technology courses but some of his colleagues had stopped him saying IT should not be taught before starting an engineering course.
Balasundarampillai had Jaffna youths who completed high school enter British universities and do very well, but such human capital could benefit Jaffna it was developed there.
A senior regional government education official had explained that primary and secondary education delivery was being strengthened in the area under a new program.
Niranjan Nadarajah, a credit and risk manager for HSBC for the Asia Pacific region had said that knowledge is a greater wealth creator than any other sector.
He had said that that though Jaffna (North in general) is endowed with limited natural resources ('moola valam)' it is endowed with lot of brain resources ('moolai valam').
Nadarajah had urged educationists to align curricula to the needs of the market rather than expecting the market to absorb the output of schools and universities.
T Mahasivam, general secretary of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union has said human security was needed in the north and it was vital to have people’s participation in development planning.
A participant who held an opposite view had said too much focus was given to tertiary education and the Indian experience was not appropriate for Sri Lanka. Another had expressed fears about the entry of foreign and private universities to Sri Lanka.
Yet another had warned that business process outsourcing workers in India had suffered verbal abuse. Another participant had said he suspected that the forum was held to promote globalization at the behest of western interests.
The Pont Pedro Institute of Development said around 100 people including, academics, officials, students, businessmen, social activists and members of the civil society had participated.
Source:http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=1044090306
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