“Build on the rock and not upon the sands”

Mr. Keble was a student of all religions and deeply appreciated theologies and philosophies of all faiths on a foundation of peaceful co-existence and not on a foundation of tribal supremacy. That is inspired by the foundation of equality valued by the Good Shepherd who wanted us to love and forgive one another.

I remember Prep School Christian morning prayers with choruses sung, about the foundation of good values. We all shouted and sang:

“Build on the Rock, the Rock that ever stands, Oh, build on the Rock, and not upon the sands; You need not fear the storm, or the earthquake shock, You’re safe for evermore if you build on the Rock”

Father Dushyantha asked me in my as a member of the Academic Advisory Board of the National Institute of Education, about current educational reforms which are still deliberated, as there is a need to accommodate diverse ideals, in bringing change.

The policy makers know that we have an unbalanced educational system, that retards more than buildS, the personalities of our children. Physically, the school bags continue to break the backs of our children. The pain makes them forget that education is more than a piece of paper qualification. However, we Thomians know that the educational culture propagated by “Óutsiders”, did not, and will not, make Prep School education sophisticated.

This system has created tutories, run by those who excel in unfortunate conditions. They havebecome more important than our schools. The perpetrators have started complaining that students have weak personalities, and without a proper sense of right and wrong.That those who finally won the race and entered university have become violent.

Isn’t it the best who enter university? Aren’t they retaliating, having realized the misery and the agony of what the State has dished out? But the corrupt system blames the best. The previous government thought of sending the best to Military camps for soft skills before entering university; to teach them how to talk, sit and stand, and how to even use wash rooms properly. The best were blamed by the government for not been fit for university!

S. Thomas Colleges should preserve what it always stood for with passion, in creating balanced and well informed personalities. Let us, firmly protect our Thomian heritage without compromising and diluting, the wisdom of great men like W.T. Keble and Mark Carpenter Garnier, Warden Stone and Reverend Buck. Do not wait for reformists to remind you of the value of studies with extra-curricular activities likeplaying, singing, dancing, cubbing, scouting, acting, and debating etc.

For parents who are anxious about grades, my humble advice as an academic, is not to become unduly worried about this man made sickness. Today, there is provision within the national university system, as through the Open University of Sri Lanka for anyone to enter university if they have passed three A-level subjects. Those who couldn’t do A’ levels, also have an equal right to education. This is today fulfilled by the Open University, through the Foundation Certificate Programmes.

In conclusion, let me remind you one more thing, of serious concern to me, which is the impact ofcommercialization and commodification of education like Junk foods.

It is my earnest appeal to you, parents, teachers and children, not to think of shortening one’s school education, since a full education with books and play is more important than entering university prematurely.

For instance, no sensible person would promote premature marriage for an adolescent and encourage him to have babies prematurely.I for one, feel weary and burdened by the thought thatstudents are enticed to opt for a short cut to university degrees after O-levels. The end result is disastrous as we have people ignorant of the truth, that there is a time and season for everything under the sun. That a mature society is dependent on fruits that are plucked in due season.