District Quota

In 1971, university entrance was based on a quota system according to the medium of instruction. District quota system was introduced in 1977. These two were done to rectify the disparities due to availability of resources. The first one created many angered youth and a 30 year long civil war. The second one is a hot topic for people to discuss whether it is good or bad. But recently with the private medical college issue and everything, the district quota system is being used as a justification why a private medical college is essential in Sri Lanka. And the craziest thing is that the justification being told by the government ministers, past higher education minister. 

First of all, the district quota system should have been an interim measure and there should have been a proper plan/ vision on how to share the resources across the island, so the student studying in a rural school in Monaragala and the student studying in Colombo have the equal access to resources, so a day could come in which z-scores of all the districts would be nearly equal. But as usual politicians have looted most of the funds and developing those areas is still a distant dream. Even after 40 years there is a disparity in the z-scores of the districts. The only other explanation would be that brighter students move to better districts by Grade 5 scholarships and by their own means which would create this disparity. But even the students having to move to another district for studies should not happen because of the the trauma caused by separation from the family and people in the lowest strata of the society cannot even think of that.

The politicians who are responsible for not bridging this disparity between the districts especially the ministers responsible for education and higher education are telling that the z-score disparity between the districts is a main reason for the necessity of private medical colleges. And it is sad that they are quoting certain districts as educationally backward. But what they don't understand is that they are again doing the same thing by creating a bigger disparity at the next level.

Anyway my ideas are of a utopia, which I know is hardly possible in our beautiful island. It is just tragic that Sri Lanka being gifted by nature in so many ways that it is being trashed by the corrupt politicians and complacent government officials. My utopia would be of the student studying in the same district and in the school nearest to him from Grade 1 through 13.