The JVP’s is against private institutions. They vehemently opposed the setting up of the North Colombo Private Medical College and it was abandoned. As a result, parents, some of whom, being not so affluent, had to mortgage their houses to send their children to Russia, New Zealand, Australia, India, England, USA and in recent times to Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and to many other countries.
If the Colombo North Private University functioned, perhaps those poor parents would have saved much money. Some students never returned, being enamoured of alien ways; and some even neglected their studies, but managed to find employment somehow in those countries. But a different situation prevailed in England over two hundred years ago prompting Adam Smith in his book ‘Wealth of Nations’ to state that, "in England, it becomes every day more and more customary to send young people to travel in foreign countries immediately upon their leaving school, and without sending them to any university. Our young people, it is said, generally returned home much improved by their travels." Even if private universities are opened some parents may still send their children abroad for higher studies and this should not be discouraged.
Now they are opposing the setting up of private universities and the main objection is that there prevails a veiled intention to destroy free education. No political party will dismantle free education and free healthcare. The JVP is attempting to win over the uneducated parents and the gullible university students by trying to mislead them into believing that private universities are meant for the rich and that students who graduate from private universities will deprive the local university graduates of well-paid jobs in the country.
Even before free education was introduced, the writer had the benefit of free education, due to the generosity of a benevolent educationalist, but think of any nephews, nieces or grand children joining a private university.
With the commencement of a private university, parents of a few students eligible to enter the local universities may decide to admit them to a private university, thereby creating a few more opportunities for some who otherwise would not have had the opportunity of a university education. Most of the children of politicians will be sent abroad for higher studies. A few parents, especially because of ragging and other problems, sent their children, mainly daughters, to foreign universities. Some of the local university academics may join the foreign university and to avoid such a situation financially they should be better looked after. Perhaps, some of the academics working abroad may return and join the foreign universities.
Private hospitals, private banks, private schools and private TV have been beneficial to the people and we could expect a similar situation from a private university. With the commencement of the first private school, the demand rapidly increased and currently a large number of private schools are functioning. The government is canvassing for foreign investment and a foreign university could be such an investment. The aspirant for the UNP leadership too is opposed to the opening of private universities, but he received his higher education in England and he may not have been successful in his attempt to enter one of the few universities we then had in our country.
The JVP has not realized that by frequently interfering in the universities and creating dissension among the students, and creating antagonism against lecturers and damaging university assets they are losing the support of the parents and the general public and after graduation for the worries given to them during student days the students will not vote for the JVP either at future elections and like the old red parties will have to sacrifice their policies and political principles to live the rest of their wretched lives. More than four decades ago, the then LSSP and Communist Party leaders educated and familiarized the university students about Marxism, Leninism and Socialism but did not initiate student uprisings, or the harassment of lecturers, or the breakdown of university education, and as a result, such parties had an educated and distinguished membership and some later were members of parliament and members of distinguished professions counting over 25 PhDs in 1970 according to a news report. The JVP, while destroying the local universities are objecting to the introduction of private foreign universities.
The JVP contribution in parliament will be admired and they stand to gain if they stop interfering in university education and involving students in clashes. They could win more parliamentary seats if they acted with restraint and opposed the government only where the people are not benefitted. The writer has the least confidence in politicians who cross over and change parties and vote for petty gains, but if wide publicity is given to the bill before it is passed by parliament, the academics and other professionals and their associations could express their concerns and also propose amendments. The minister has announced (Sunday Leader 19.12.10) that the government intends to open at least 15 private universities. At least experiment with one or two; start with a business university and observe the progress and the results before commencing the others. But why a private university for fashions, where the local fashion icons with local investment could commence a private university and the likes of Otara should start a local fashion university with the help of others.
Courtesy - The Island - Amor Patriae
