Policy of standardization

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The policy of standardization was a policy implemented by the Sri Lankan government in 1973 to rectify disparities created in university enrollment in Sri Lanka under Colonial rule.[1]

Contents

[edit] The reasoning for the law

Under the British, English was the state language and consequently greatly benefited English speakers. However the majority of Sri Lankan populace lived outside urban areas and did not belong to the social elite, and therefore did not enjoy the benefits of English-medium education. The issue was compounded further by the fact that in Northern and Eastern regions of the island, where a largely Tamil populace resided,[1] students had access to English-medium education through missionary schools regardless of their socio-economy strata. This created a situation where a large proportion of students enrolled in universities throughout the country were English speaking Tamils and Sinhalese from urban centers like Colombo,[1] particularly in professional courses such as medicine and engineering.

[edit] The implementation of the law

The government policy of standardization in essence was an affirmative action scheme to assist geographically disadvantaged students to gain tertiary education. The benefits enjoyed by Sinhalese students also meant a significant fall in the number of Tamil students within the Sri Lankan university student populace. This was an affirmative action program to help the majority Sinhalese who had been sidelined during European colonial times due to a consistent policy of divide and conquer by the Europeans; who had promoted the minority Tamils and lower-caste Sinhalese Christians over the Sinhalese Buddhists and the Muslims due to the latters' obedience and propensity to accept Christianity and foreign rule more willingly.[1]

[edit] The effect of the law

30% of university places were allocated on the basis of island-wide merit; half the places were allocated on the basis of comparative scores within districts and an additional 15% reserved for students from under privileged districts.

In 1969, the Northern Province, which was largely populated by Tamils and compromised 7%[2] of the population of the country, provided 27.5 percent of the entrants to science based courses in Sri Lankan universities. By 1974, this was reduced to 7%.[1] However, the hardest hit population group were the urban Sinhalese in the Western Province, which contained 26%[2] of the islands population. In 1969, the Western Province provided 67.5 percent of admissions to science based courses. This reduced to 27% in 1974, after the law came into effect.[1]

[edit] Reaction

When the policy was implemented, the urban Sinhalese population had reconciled themselves to the fact that the position of privilege they had enjoyed under the British would not last forever, and the situation had to stabilize at the population level.[1] However Tamils saw the policy along communal terms, and strongly opposed the move.[1]

[edit] Abolishment of standardization

The standardization of university entrance was abandoned in 1977, and 80% of the university places were filled in accordance with raw marks scored by students. The remaining 20% of places was allocated to students in districts with inadequate educational facilities.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Jayasuriya, J. E. (1981). Education in the Third World. Pune: Indian Institute of Education. OCLC 7925123. 
  2. ^ a b Department of Census and Statistics, Population by district, size, intercensal increase and average growth rates

[edit] See also

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