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Opinion

Time to Break the Boundaries – Part I

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BY Shivanthi Ranasinghe

ranasingheshivanthi@gmail.com 

The COVID-19 virus is severely challenging the credibility of the Education Ministry. This was underscored when the Ministry, amidst the ongoing second wave, announced the re-opening of all schools, from grade six upwards, except those in the Western Province and other isolated areas from November 23 onwards. It has been since decided to reopen primary schools from January 11, 2021 onwards. 

Neither teachers’ trade unions nor parents responded well to this announcement to reopen schools in November. North Western Province Governor Raja Collure too decided that schools in high risk areas of his province would remain closed for a further week. A number of teachers’ unions warned that the worst-case scenario would be a “school cluster”.

The Education Ministry, however, has the support from the Health Ministry, which issued a clear-cut guideline to allow schools to function. All of these prescribed steps must be followed as strictly as possible, said Deputy Director of Health Services Dr Hemantha Herath. 

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) too noted that schools cannot remain closed until the pandemic ended, which might last for two-three years. Acknowledging that the spread of the virus if it infects students would be wide, also noted that such a cluster can be consciously prevented. The GMOA assured that schools can both function and stay safe by following Health Ministry’s regulations. 

The GMOA has never been a government lackey. As a powerful trade union, the GMOA had locked horns with the Government (whichever in power) more often than supported it. Thus, their support on this matter was a tremendous boost for the Education Ministry. Yet, it still was not enough to convince parents. 

Attendance, when schools reopened on November 23, 2020, was very low. The Sabaragamuwa Province reported the best attendance with only 55 percent. Southern Province had the lowest attendance with 15 percent. Kandy had to close its schools the very week it reopened due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the district. Eastern Province too had to take a similar decision with the Kalmunai Education Zone. On December 14, the Kandy schools, except for few, were reopened. However, attendance was very poor.

Education Minister Professor GL Peiris appealed from parents to give unstinted support to reopen schools and not to make a political issue out of it. Yet, parents’ lack of conviction is not politically motivated. People understand that the pandemic-related challenges before the Government are enormous. They also understand that the Government’s efforts to meet these challenges are genuine. Therefore, despite the many difficulties and uncertainties people face, the prevailing situation in the country is calm and peaceful. Even the few agitations that precipitated from locked down apartment complexes due to prolonged quarantine periods were quickly resolved. It took only a few experienced police officers to reason out with the residents and send them back home.

The problem lies with the procedure that follows when one gets infected with the COVID-19 virus. If the health authorities deem necessary, the infected would be taken to a specially designated hospital, where visitors are not allowed. This means, at least for two-three weeks, the infected is separated from family. This would be a very traumatic experience for a child. Hence, it is only natural for parents to want to avoid such a situation.

Generally, children are thought to have better immunity against this virus. While this may be true for a healthy child, it is not clear the prognosis for a child with respiratory illnesses. Today, many young children living in urban areas suffer from such diseases as asthma. Parents of such children cannot be blamed for being cautious.

The Education Ministry cannot be faulted for wanting to fulfill its core responsibility. Therefore, the Ministry would feel the urgency to reopen the schools that had been closed for the better part of this year. It is most likely that they would try their level best in the coming New Year to somehow reopen schools.

Even if the schools functioned in the coming New Year, the Ministry must have alternate plans for areas that come under lockdown. Until the pandemic ends, authorities may have to isolate lanes or by-lanes whilst the general area functioned. Children in these isolated areas would not be able to physically attend school for at least a fortnight. 

The other complication they would have to factor into their decision making is the weather. The first quarter of the year is the country’s hottest, driest and the dustiest months. Children often fall sick with chest infections, flu, coughs and colds during this period. In this scenario, the authorities need to be very confident in assuring that children’s safety from the COVID-19 would not be compromised with the reopening of schools.

Despite the efforts to reopen schools, Education Minister had been forced to also postpone the GCE Ordinary Level exam to March, 2021. This decision was taken despite successfully conducting the Grade V Scholarship exam and the GCE Advanced Level exam, even with the ongoing pandemic’s second wave. It was the parents who pressed the Administration to hold the exams without postponing it any further. They overlooked the second wave to allow their children to sit for these exams. Yet, that confidence is absent to let children attend regular sessions amidst the same second wave. 

Distant Learning is a Distant Success

It is not an easy decision for most parents to keep their children home from school. School, extracurricular activities and daycare centres provide an essential support for those families where both parents work. The pandemic has effectively shut down these services and facilities. This has hence disrupted the fine balance between career and family. Even for families that are not affected thus, the question remains as what to do with the children – especially regarding their education. 

Online classes have been successful mostly among segments that have ready access to the required devices and uninterrupted Internet connection. Others are severely constrained.  The recent footage of some children atop a 60-foot-plus water tank to “attend class” is not a laughing matter. 

Providing a device and a connection to each student will still not resolve the issue to those who live in extremely cramped quarters. In some homes, family members must take turns to sleep. These environments with its associated disturbances are not conducive surroundings for studying.

Even when facilities from device to connection to space and environment are available for online studies, the problem is not fully resolved. Keeping students, especially in lower grades, focused on lessons have its own difficulties and often need active supervision. Often, it is an elder who ends up ‘attending’ class and doing the work. A teachers’ trade union noted most parents are not equipped with the special teaching techniques needed by young students.

At the same time, it must be noted that online classes have not been a total failure. Some students, especially in higher grades, prefer online classes that allow them the space to learn at their own pace. They appreciate the accessibility to recorded lessons, teachers’ notes and other study materials. 

Yet, the problem is not rested on just ensuring an uninterrupted education for children. With each passing day without schools, we deny children an important part of their childhood. The psychological and health impact by keeping children indoors and in isolation from one another is a very grave concern. 

(Part II will be published tomorrow)



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Opinion

HW Cave saw Nanu Oya – Nuwara rail track as “exquisite”

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Plans to resurrect the Nanu Oya – Nuwara Eliya rail track are welcome. The magnificent views from the train have been described by H W Cave in his book The Ceylon Government Railway (1910):

‘The pass by which Nuwara Eliya is reached is one of the most exquisite things in Ceylon. In traversing its length, the line makes a further ascent of one thousand feet in six miles. The curves and windings necessary to accomplish this are the most intricate on the whole railway and frequently have a radius of only eighty feet. On the right side of the deep mountain gorge we ascend amongst the tea bushes of the Edinburgh estate, and at length emerge upon a road, which the line shares with the cart traffic for about a mile. In the depths of the defile flows the Nanuoya river, foaming amongst huge boulders of rock that have descended from the sides of the mountains, and bordered by tree ferns, innumerable and brilliant trees of the primeval forest which clothe the face of the heights. In this land of no seasons their stages of growth are denoted by the varying tints of scarlet, gold, crimson, sallow green, and most strikingly of all, a rich claret colour, the chief glory of the Keena tree’.

However, as in colonial times, the railway should be available for both tourists and locals so that splendid vista can be enjoyed by all.

Dr R P Fernando
Epsom,
UK

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Opinion

LG polls, what a waste of money!

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If the people of this country were asked whether they want elections to the local government, majority of them would say no! How many years have elapsed since the local councils became defunct? And did not the country function without these councils that were labelled as ‘white elephants’?

If the present government’s wish is to do the will of the people, they should reconsider having local government elections. This way the government will not only save a considerable amount of money on holding elections, but also save even a greater amount by not having to maintain these local councils, which have become a bane on the country’s economy.

One would hope that the country will be able to get rid of these local councils and revert back to the days of having competent Government Agents and a team of dedicated government officials been tasked with the responsibility of attending to the needs of the people in those areas.

M. Joseph A. Nihal Perera

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Opinion

What not to do

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Trump and Zelensky arguing in the White House

By Dr Upul Wijayawardhana

It is immaterial whether you like him or not but one thing is crystal clear; Donald Trump has shown, very clearly, who is the boss. Surely, presidents of two countries are equal; perhaps, that is the impression Volodymyr Zelensky had when he went to the White House to meet Trump but the hard reality, otherwise, would have dawned on him with his inglorious exit! True, the behaviour of President Trump and VP Vance were hardly praiseworthy but Zelensky did what exactly he should not do. Afterall, he was on a begging mission and beggars cannot be choosers! He behaved like professional beggars in Colombo who throw money back when you give a small amount!!

Despite the risk of belonging to the minority, perhaps of non-Americans, I must say that I quite like Trump and admire him as a straight-talking politician. He keeps to his words; however atrocious they sound! Unfortunately, most critics overlook the fact that what Trump is doing is exactly what he pledged during his election campaign and that the American voters elected him decisively. When he lost to Biden, all political commentators wrote him off, more so because of his refusal to admit defeat and non-condemnation of his supporters who rioted. When he announced his intention to contest, it only evoked pundits’ laughter as they concluded that the Republican Party would never nominate him. Undaunted, Trump got the party to rally round him and won a non-consecutive second term; a feat achieved only once before, by Grover Cleveland around the end of the nineteenth century. His victory, against all predictions, was more decisive as he got more collegiate votes and, even though it does not matter, won the popular vote too which he did not get when he got elected the first term. Even his bitterest critics should accept this fact.

Zelensky was elected the president of Ukraine after the elected pro-Soviet president was deposed by a ‘peoples revolution’ engineered by the EU with the support of USA. After this, the EU attempted to bring Ukraine to NATO, disregarding the Munich agreement which precipitated the Russian invasion. He should have realised that, if not for the air-defence system which Trump authorised for Ukraine during his first term, Russian invasion would have been complete. It may well be that he was not aware as when this happened Zelensky may still have been the comedian acting the part of the president! Very likely, Trump was referring to this when he accused Zelensky of being ungrateful.

Zelensky also should have remembered that he disregarded requests from Trump, after his defeat by Biden, to implicate Biden’s son in some shady deals in Ukraine and that one of the last acts of Biden was to pardon his son and grant immunity to cover the alleged period. Perhaps, actions of the European leaders who embrace him every time they see him, as a long-lost brother, and invitations to address their parliaments has induced an element of the superiority complex in Zelensky that he behaved so combative.

Trump wanted to be the mediator to stop the war and spoke to Putin first. Instead of waiting for Trump to speak to him, egged on by EU leaders Zelensky started criticising Trump for not involving him in the talks. His remark “He should be on our side” demonstrated clearly that Zelensky had not understood the role of a mediator. His lack of political experience was the major reason for the fiasco in the White House and the subsequent actions of Trump clearly showed Zelensky where he stands! PM Starmer and President Macron seem to have given some sensible advice and he seems to be eating humble pie. In the process Trump has ensured that the European nations pay for their defence than piggy-backing on the US, which I am sure would please the American voter. By the way, though Macron talks big about defence France spends less than 2% of GDP. Trump seems vindicated. Of course, Trump could be blamed for being undiplomatic but he can afford to be as he has the upper hand!

Ranil on Al Jazeera

Zelensky has shown what not to do: instead of being diplomatic being aggressive when you need favours! Meanwhile, Ranil has shown what not to do when it comes to TV interviews. God only knows who advised him, and why, for him to go ‘Head to Head’ with Mehdi Hasan on Al-Jazeera. Perhaps, he wanted to broadcast to the world that he was the saviour of Sri Lanka! The experienced politician he is, one would have expected Ranil to realise that he would be questioned about his role in making Sri Lanka bankrupt as well, in addition to raising other issues.

The interview itself was far from head to head; more likely heads to head! It turned out to be an inquisition by Tiger supporters and the only person who spoke sense being Niraj Deva, who demonstrated his maturity by being involved in British and EU politics. The worst was the compere who seems keen to listen his own voice, reminding me of a Sinhala interviewer on a YouTube channel whose interviews I have stopped watching!

Ranil claims, after the interview was broadcast, that it had been heavily edited reduced from a two-hour recording. Surely, despite whatever reason he agreed to, he should have laid ground rules. He could have insisted on unedited broadcast or his approval before broadcast, if it was edited. It was very naïve of Ranil to have walked in to a trap for no gain. Though his performance was not as bad as widely reported, he should have been more composed at the beginning as he turned out to be later. Overall, he gave another opportunity for the Tiger rump and its supporters to bash Sri Lanka, unfortunately.

Medhi Hasan should watch some of David Frost interviews, especially the one with Richard Nixon, and learn how to elicit crucial information in a gentle exploratory manner than shouting with repeated interruptions. He does not seem to think it is necessary to give time for the interviewee to respond to his questions. I will never watch Al-Jazeera’s “Head to Head” again!

Ranil’s best was his parting shot; when asked by Hasan whether he would contest the next presidential election, he said “No, I will retire and watch Al-Jazeera and hope to see you better mannered”!

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