{
  "id": 7429540,
  "title": "Radical and rational changes necessary in schools and universities",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/radical-and-rational-changes-necessary-in-schools-and-universities",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T23:58:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Island Sri Lanka",
    "slug": "the-island-sri-lanka",
    "url": "http://island.lk/radical-and-rational-changes-necessary-in-schools-and-universities/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The educational system in Sri Lanka is not without its faults. Dr Laksiri Fernando, who has taught in Sri Lanka, Australia, and other countries, has observed that most Sri Lankan students possess the same intellectual capacity as their Australian counterparts. However, this potential is hindered by limited knowledge due to insufficient English proficiency.\n\nTwo primary issues plague the educational system in Sri Lanka. Firstly, the country spends one of the smallest shares of its national income on education globally, leaving schools and universities with significant shortages. Secondly, there exists a severe mismatch between the educational system and the economy, resulting in high youth unemployment and a shortage of job-ready graduates.\n\nIn response to these issues, Dr Fernando proposes a radical and rational solution: reducing the school years from 13 to 12. This change, adopted by Germany and others, could bring immense benefits to a developing country like Sri Lanka. The reduction would allow students more motivation and confidence, akin to the increasing maturity of youth in various countries since the 1970s. Additionally, the introduction of information technology and artificial intelligence could further enhance rapid development.\n\nAnother crucial change Dr Fernando suggests is implementing a ban on social media for children under the age of 16. While social media offers valuable resources for children's knowledge and development, it also poses potential dangers. Parents and teachers must work together to ensure children receive positive information from these platforms.\n\nThe reduction of school years could also lead to financial savings for the educational system and families. Currently, Sri Lanka allocates less than 2% of its GDP to education. In the 2026 budget, school allocations amounted to around Rs 160 billion. To maximize the benefits of this proposal, the Ministry should allocate the budget rationally to improve the school system further.\n\nMoreover, the proposal advocates for a change in the scholarship examination system. Currently, the examination is conducted at Grade 5, with only a fraction of students qualifying for scholarships. Dr Fernando proposes moving the examination to Grade 8, allowing more students to mature and qualify for competitive scholarship examinations. This change could help alleviate financial burdens on families and motivate students to study harder and better.",
  "summary": "by Dr Laksiri Fernando “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela Apart from Nelson Mandela, there have been many philosophers and social activists who have emphasised the importance of educational reforms for social change and development. Among these were Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, Karl Marx, Mahatma […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}