From: desilva@acsu.buffalo.edu (Channa Desilva)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka
Subject: Re: Education and Jobs in SL
Date: 14 Dec 92 19:00:27 GMT
Organization: UB

In article <1992Dec14.163402.28717@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> muttiah@thistle.ecn.purdue.edu (Ranjan S Muttiah) writes:
>Sarath has asked me to post this to this newsgroup.
>
>From sarath@hydra.cis.mcmaster.ca Mon Dec 14 06:46:05 1992
>	I just don't understand what you are saying here. Have you ever
>	considered the performance of students from ``backward'' 
>	in the university. I have seen lots of students from Colombo
>	who have A's Bs and do really badly in the university. I thought
>	they get high grades from cram schools (``tuition'') and then
>	when they come to the university they are all worn out.
>	In my class the guy who failed all three subjects in the first
>	year had 3As in AL and he was from Thirsten (sp), the guy who got highest
>	grades was from Trinco and he had 3S and 1C. 

But, still you can't justify the fact that people with 279 have to look
the other way, when some people go to university with 180+ marks.  I'm
not saying that people in big cities don't have an advantage....but, 
quite a few students from "backward" arears come to big cities to attend
those so called "cram" schools.  I know somebody who stayed in Colombo
to attend Tuition classes instead of going to his so called "backward"
school....I even have a few relatives who did that.  A lot of students who
get into universities attend Tuition classes no matter whether they are
from Colombo or those "backward" schools.  One solution may be to abolish
all the government schools and let the tuition classes do their job :)
If not for those tuition classes very few students from Colombo will go to
the universities.....(otherwise how can they bridge a gap of about 100+
marks?)

My aim here is not to discredit those students who get into universities
from "backward" arears.....It's true if not for the quota system they may
never get into universities......but, if that is done at the expense of
some other student, then there is a loop-hole in the system.

The point I was trying to make was.....it affects all the communities, no
matter they be Sinhalese, Tamils or any other.  Some people claim that it
ONLY affects Tamils.....That's a total crap!

>My comments weren't particulary targetted at people who get into
>universities. That would just be a side benefit of bringing all the
>districts a higher standard of education.  Yes, it has been reinforced
>on me (by many) that some of those who do well in the ALs do horribly
>in universities (and are even some of those who create trouble in
>the universities).  But my point is that the university admissions is
>overblown out of proportions and the large majority get neglected.

>	Besides, as the original poster said the people around colombo
>	could afford to come to developed countries and study.
>	So the politicians at least give a chance to a few of them from
>	the hell,isn't it better than killing them(JVP or joining the army).
>
>	I have a suggestion, abolsih all the cram schools!!!
>	When I left SL, the AL pure math was really good, it was not
>	helping the students from cram schools, I really hope it is
>	still the same.
>	******
>	Sarath

Yes, I was able to afford to come here and study....but, what about all my
other friends who got the same mark.....we had three or four other
students from Royal who were one below the cutoff mark....what about
them?  They could not afford to come here, so does that mean it's  correct
to throw them out just because they went to a school in a big city.  A lot
of students come to Royal( and other big schools) after grade six.  Quite
a few of them are from those "backward" arears.  What happens to them if
they can't get into the universities because the cutoff marks are really
high?  Does that mean " those fools who try to get into big schools from
"backward" arears should perish" ?  In my book that is not the way the things
should be!!!!!

Channa.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.sri-lanka