{"id":175183,"date":"2017-03-18T00:23:02","date_gmt":"2017-03-17T18:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=175183"},"modified":"2017-03-23T13:05:26","modified_gmt":"2017-03-23T07:35:26","slug":"reading-the-real-problem-of-saitm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/reading-the-real-problem-of-saitm\/","title":{"rendered":"Reading The Real Problem Of SAITM"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"p1\"><strong>By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s=Nalin+Abeysekera&amp;x=7&amp;y=2\">Nalin Abeysekera<\/a> &#8211;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_175184\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Nalin-Abeysekera.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-175184\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-175184\" src=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Nalin-Abeysekera-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Nalin-Abeysekera-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Nalin-Abeysekera-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-175184\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Nalin Abeysekera<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">A variety of topics and headlines surface on the economic and social set up of Sri Lanka from time to time. Learned people and others from different walks of life express their views based on the way such topics are highlighted in the Media. Whatever its final analysis may be, it is an essential feature of democracy. But it is necessary to re-analyse and revisit the particular issue, subject to such discussion in the country, to ascertain whether it is the \u2018Real\u2019 problem, which should be focused on. I hope to discuss this \u2018Real Problem\u2019 through the issue at hand, namely, the Private Medical College problem, or the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s=SAITM&amp;x=13&amp;y=10\">SAITM<\/a> issue. The SAITM issue has come to the forefront in the media, just as much as the Ragama Medical college issue which came under discussion a decades ago. One group expresses its view in its favour, while the other group speaks against it.\u00a0 It is unfortunate that these speakers focus on the symptoms of the ailment without making an effort to find out the cause.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s2\">We find a valuable example of this situation in Buddhist thought, thus:<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s2\"> \u201cAsevanacha balanan<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s2\"> Panditanancha sevana\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">When we examine this saying from a conventional point of view, it interprets as \u2018associate the wise and do not associate the unwise or the balaya\u2019.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>The definition s of \u2018Pandita\u2019 and \u2018Balaya\u2019 are not clearly understood here, and it leads to much confusion.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>The philosophical meaning of \u2018bala\u2019 are out thoughts which lead to the ten defilements, while \u2018pandita\u2019 denotes the wholesome thoughts that arise in our minds.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>It is the exploration of our own mind.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>But the conventional interpretation leads to much confusion and conflict.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">We can discuss the SAITM issue within this<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>framework.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>When we analyse it based on above interpretation, I can be seen<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>that two factions seem to debate and argue within the conventional framework while remaining insensitive to our educational, social and political problems which form the philosophical aspect of this issue.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">As stated earlier, even the Ragama Medical College conflict ended up treating the symptoms and not to ailment(or real problem).<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>But I think this problem has paved the way for a more philosophical and intellectual dialogue, with a broaden outlook on the economic and social aspects of our country and our nation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s2\">We see that most problems in our country are looked at with one\u2019s own political mindset.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>But the SAITM issue needs to be addressed with a more applied approach from a philosophical standpoint.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>There should be a proper assessment of the facts of our education and the way for ward of the system of education, woven into the solution of this problem.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>When 250,000 students seek entry to higher education only 25,000 are admitted to the universities.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>It is the result of our cultural and economic deformity based on the concept of free education.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>But there needs to be a broader social debate\/dialogue which focuses on the learning methodology and the inability to merge with the needs of the country.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>We constantly discuss about the developed countries.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>But it is unfortunate that we have failed, during the past few decades, to link the abilities and skills of our students of the present, with the strengths drawn from the Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa civilizations of our glorious past.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">Therefore it is vital for us to identify our problems as one Nation and one Country, without trying to fulfil our individual ambitions through media displays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">Our people are the lifeline of our country.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>The future lies with the younger generation.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>Therefore, it is the responsibility of those who govern, the learned and the educated, to move our country forward on a purely Sri Lankan Model, befitting today\u2019s world, while drawing from our great civilizations of the past and ridding ourselves from the island mentality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">Educational reforms at this point, should cater to the educational and social changes that are taking place today.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0L<\/span>eadership skills of the innocent third standard student who carries a seven<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>kilo bag on his back, as well as the university undergraduate need to be developed through an appropriate educational pedagogy.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>It is the need of the hour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s2\">The SAITM issue sends out strong signals that a change in the education sector of the country by looking at social ,economic factors within the framework of Glocalization (not globalization) in vital.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>We need to understand it philosophically (and genuinely) to create a sensitive generation which loves our country. This should be the role and responsibility of all intellectuals and citizens of Sri Lanka.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>It needs to be fulfilled without delay as it is positively bound with our country\u2019s future. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><em><span class=\"s2\">*<\/span><span class=\"s1\">Dr. Nalin Abeysekera (Senior Lecturer and Chartered Marketer) is a Lecturer in strategic management and consultant with over fifteen years\u2019 experience.\u00a0In 2012 he was Shortlisted as Best Reviewer by International Journal of<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Contemporary Management Research (CMR) (ranked as \u201cB \u201cgraded Journal by Excellence in Research for Australia)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":175184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,46,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-175183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-constitutional-reforms","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - 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