Main flaw of free education is lack of creativity- Champika
We need to think out of the box to be innovative. The main weakness of the free education system is the highly competitive nature which leads the children to learn by heart rather than understand basic theories. Lack of basic knowledge makes the children like machines who lack creativity, Technology & Research Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.
Joining as the Chief Guest of the Opening Ceremony of the recently concluded SLASSCOM / Motorola Solutions sponsored the Inter University Innovations Championship 2013 Finals last week, the minister said that “our children have the knowledge, they are intelligent, what is lacking is the innovativeness and creativity.”
The Minister went on to add that “If we spend some reasonable time taking a closer look at the variety of public funded research work that has been undertaken in Sri Lanka during the recent years, and attempt an initial assessment of the potential of the research outcomes to be translated into tangible contributions to socio-economic development of the country, I am afraid our findings may not perhaps be too exciting” he stated.
He said that one would find a handful of research outcomes with the potential of being directly translated into products and services of either economic or societal benefit.
He added that one of our focuses would be on strengthening of SMEs. One salient aspect of such strengthening would be the technological innova- tions led by research and development.
US Ambassador for Sri Lanka & Maldives H.E. Michele J Sison participating the event as the Guest of Honor said the world will need about a half a billion new jobs by 2030, and many of those jobs have not even been invented yet. To meet this demand we need openness of ideas and spaces that promote innovation and research, especially by youth and students, she said.
“The great thing is that humans are always innovating. It doesn’t matter whether you live in Silicon Valley or here in Sri Lanka. There are no "prequalifications" for great ideas; capital finds a way to fund them. That is what makes innovation and entrepreneurship such powerful catalysts for change in every country of the world, the Ambassador added.
The following were the final results of the SLASSCOM / Motorola Solutions Inter University Innovations Championship 2013
Exercise Motivation System ,Uwa Wellassa University (H.M.A.U.Bandara, W.M.S.Priyankara, P.B.Wilebadaarachchi, P.G.N.S.S.Pilapitiya)
Automated Guided Wheelchair, University of Colombo School of Computing (Yasith Lokuge, Prashan Madumal, Tharindu Kumara & N. Ranasinghe)
A one-click Public Assistance System, University of Jaffna ( H Mohammed Rajjaz, R Miller Alexander, M.I.M. Nifras, Vigneswaran Saahithyan, A Harshani Samaraweera).