Written by: Mathusan Mahalingam
April is a month that is both dreaded and celebrated by students studying at post-secondary institutions. Many dread the arrival of exams and final assignments, while others celebrate their completion. In today’s time, freedom and fun have been equated with being free from exams and schoolwork of all kind. You hear students complain about how much work they have to complete, and how they just cannot wait for it to all be over. I myself, just until a few days ago, was one of these students. I was impatiently awaiting the arrival of my final exam, eager and ready to embrace the freedom that I believed followed.
My “freedom” from school did come, and it is only then did I realize that the education many students, including myself take for granted and dread, is a gift that we should enjoy and embrace. While we complain about the amount of work that is required as part of our studies, we forget that we should enjoy what we are studying, we forget that there are millions of other youth out there who do not have access to this education system. In Canada, many Tamil youth have the opportunity to an education that they were stripped away from them back home. In fact, our brothers and sisters back home fought for this education we esteem too lightly in Canada.
Up until 1970, university admissions in Sri-Lanka were based on academic merits, as is done in Canada. Tamils despite being a minority, had a higher standard of education than the rest of the population groups in Sri-Lanka and thus, their percentage of enrollments in university were far greater ratio than any other group. In 1969, a year before the “Policy of Standardization” came into play, 50% of students studying medicine, and 48% of students studying engineering were Tamil. However, upon the introduction of this policy, this was not the case. What this policy resulted in was systematic elimination of Tamils students from universities as a result of quotas set by geographic district. Previously, university admissions were based on academic merit, following this policy, only a mere 30% was based on academic merit, and the rest was based on geographic district. Since the Sinhalese and Tamils geographically resided in different areas, this resulted in education being highly inaccessible by Tamils as their quotas did not allow enough room for their entry. In 1983, the medical program which once consisted of 50% Tamils only consisted of 22%, and only 28% of engineering students were now Tamil. This systematic state-sponsored scheme to reduce the enrolment of Tamil students had obvious repercussions; it limited the opportunities for Tamil students. Slowly, less Tamils had access to education, and slowly, they were filtered out of public service, and professional areas of employment. Eventually, this lowered their standard of living, and reduced their opportunities for betterment.
We have the opportunity here that was and is continually being denied to Tamil youth in Sri-Lanka. We have the education they so dearly desire. Education is what will build us into leaders of society, education is what will give us the tools we need to break the barriers and succeed. We must not take our education lightly, and we must not treat it like a burden. Worldwide, students have suffered and been denied education, they have fought for education. We must see that this education we have here, is a gift, and must be treated as so.
Tags: Speak Out
