The recent move by the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) to offer medical graduate courses on a fee-levying basis has created an uproar, with some elements throwing a spanner in the works. The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), which itself previously acknowledged the glaring shortage of doctors in Government hospitals, has however, opposed every move to broaden medical education, starting with the North Colombo Medical College (NCMC), then the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) and now, the KDU. This, at a time when the paucity of doctors has been aggravated by the mass migration of doctors.
Their opposition defies logic, especially in the light of reports that many students who have missed out on admission to the State medical colleges by just a few marks have applied for the KDU course. This gives the lie to the allegation that even those who have failed the GCE Advanced Level examination could apply and become doctors. But the best point is not even that – the KDU course fee is just Rs.12.5 million, whereas just one year in a foreign university will cost that amount. One can imagine the savings in terms of foreign exchange. This in itself could be a lifeline for our foreign reserves.
If students peruse the Education section of this newspaper, they will realise that there are plenty of Government and private educational institutions that can offer similar globally recognised courses and degrees at a fraction of the cost of overseas universities. Students sometimes get the option of completing the course in another country and even gaining employment and Permanent Residency (PR).
Saving foreign exchange is often cited as the cause célèbre of establishing more private universities and indeed it is. Just imagine the savings even if the country saves just US$ 1,000 per year per student, as thousands of Sri Lankan students already study in foreign universities, with more leaving every day. Even more than the financial aspect, local private universities will give the students the option of studying the desired subjects with the advantage of living with their families in a familiar environment.
Quite apart from saving foreign exchange, private universities can actually help earn foreign exchange by enrolling foreign students. If Sri Lanka has world-class private universities, just like Malaysia, Belarus and Australia, students will be attracted to them especially from Africa and Asia, as food and lodging cost much less here.
Moreover, private universities are necessarily job-oriented, unlike some State universities which offer courses that have no relevance in the modern world. It is very difficult to get a job by following these courses – indeed, Sri Lanka is perhaps the only country to have a so-called Unemployed Graduates Association. Private universities will also address the problem of students’ poor English knowledge and also leave no opportunity for ragging.
Gaining admission to a State University in Sri Lanka is not easy by any means. The Advanced Level examination is very competitive and of the 100,000 who qualify for university admission, only around 30,000 actually enter the universities every year. It is thus a rare privilege. There should be more educational opportunities for the rest. This is another reason why we need private universities.
While private universities and educational institutions offering various courses have gained ground in Sri Lanka without much resistance, there is still a debate over the establishment of private medical universities. However, with the flight of doctors in search of greener pastures and the limited intake of students to State medical colleges, the Government has now decided to establish at least three private medical colleges and several other private universities. This time, the Government must be firm in its stance, without giving into the demands of those who oppose private universities and private medical colleges.
This must be established through an Act of Parliament, covered by a National Policy on Education that essentially recognises private universities including private medical colleges. In fact, this is what several of our neighbouring countries have done.
For example, in Bangladesh, its Parliament passed the Private University Act of 1992. Now, there are nearly 100 approved private universities in Bangladesh. In India and Nepal too, legal protection is provided to private universities.
The main reason for some student organisations’ agitation against the opening of private investments in university education is the incorrect perception that private universities would harm the present free education system in Sri Lanka.
If you look at other countries, this line of thinking is completely wrong. State and private universities complement each other. The competition will be among private universities themselves for the rankings and prestige. The final beneficiaries would be the students. Moreover, State universities will also strive to improve their World University Rankings.
The time has come to end the debate on private universities once and for all. The Government should take a firm stand to establish more private universities regardless of the pressure from various quarters. Opposition parties including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the National People’s Power (NPP) must also clarify their stance on private universities. The abolition of SAITM has cost the country dearly in terms of the number of doctors who would have qualified by now. There must be no room for such short-sighted actions again.
