“Let hidden meanings dawn in your readings

As we contemplate the future, the hopes of realizing the Asian Century are real and exciting. And Sri Lanka is now on the cusp of becoming an upper middle- income country. But nothing is pre-ordained. We need to recognise our weaknesses in human capital in particular, and take the appropriate steps on an urgent basis, lest we fall into a middle-income trap.

Let us briefly reflect on the challenges in the education sector at the national level. These will cascade down to the schools and impact on our human capital development. There are several areas of concern, which require concerted action.

Sri Lanka now spends too little on education. The country’s public expenditure on education has remained low at around 2 percent of GDP during the past decade and a half, compared to an average of 4-6 percent in the rest of Asia. The upshot of low investment in education means that school leavers are poorly prepared as they join the workforce or are unemployed.

Albeit Sri Lanka has achieved high levels of literacy, it has not provided students with quality educational services such as – IT access, effective teaching, and better math and science education – to participate successfully in the knowledge economy of the 21st Century. Functional literacy matters. Literacy required now is not merely the 3R’s – Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic. I was happy to note that in the Global Educational Rankings for 2015, the first four countries in the world are Asian countries led by Singapore. Vietnam which literally started from scratch 20 years ago, is ranked 12th in the world, while the US is at 28th place. It is noteworthy that, Vietnam spends 21 percent of its Public Expenditure on Education. What do we? Nine percent.

Another area of concern is the effectiveness and performance of schools at all levels. In this regard, it will be important to further devolve educational management down to the level of individual educational institutions. Schools are stifled by regulations which are out of sync with contemporary high performing institutions.

The low quality of education in terms of infrastructure, distribution of teaching resources, and the learning-teaching process in the classroom, is reflected in the low pass rates in the GCE O/ L exam of about 60 percent nationwide. I am elated that, St Benedict’s has come through as a high flyer, with a pass rate of over 90 percent in the past three years. It is also noteworthy that, nine students had straight As last years, echoing the legacy of the past.

There is an urgent need for modernization and diversification of the curriculum. Activity-based learning, improving teaching, personality development, and increasing the exposure of students to technical subjects in grades 10-11, require high priority. Both hard and soft skills are lacking in school-leavers. It is alarming that, only 20 percent of the schools offer science in grades 12-13. How could a country modernize without scientists and engineers?

Clearly, if the country is to effectively participate in the knowledge economy of the 21st Century, it will need to prioritize English language teaching. It is reported that only 22 percent of children achieve a targeted level of mastery in English language skills. Giving students the ability to be proficient in English will open up opportunities for them in the global and domestic markets. Let us take a cue from Lee Kuan Yew, the visionary leader, ‘ who walked the talk.’ He observed: “our bilingual policy makes learning difficult unless you start learning English and the mother tongue, from an early age - the earlier the better.” Singapore schools are bilingual from Grade 1, and English is the medium of instruction.

Another area of concern is access to ICT. It is reported that few students, and even fewer teachers, are IT literate. Even in the elite schools, access to computer facilities, defined by student- to- computer ratio, is well over 1:100. Computers alone are not enough – training should be done by teachers, who are skilled not only in teaching students how to use computers, but also use them in the classroom.

Teachers are the backbone in the educational system. In this regard, a whole raft of reforms is long overdue in lifting the quality of education. Teacher status, motivation, and work attitudes, have lamentably deteriorated over the past decades. In my view, the importance of re-motivating and improving the attitudes of teachers must become a national priority.

These concerns are well known. Beyond the rhetoric and good intentions, do we have the firm commitment of our leaders to see Sri Lanka taking its rightful place in the Asian Century? Plans and Strategies are not enough. They must be implemented and sustained. Time is of the essence. Time will tell.

As we celebrate the 150th jubilee, let us reflect on what made the pioneering Benedictine teachers special. It is so hard to describe them, but let me try to distil what I saw as the qualities of the Benedictine teachers. To begin with they served with joy, with a heart, and a deep sense of mission.

Quality 1: Belief in Your Students – They believed that every child could learn, that every child can do better, and that every child can achieve more.

Quality 2: Belief in Yourself -- They were inspirational and passionate teachers who cared about their tasks and their students.

Quality 3: Belief in One Another -- This was apparent in the teamwork and how the teachers complemented each other.

Quality 4: Belief in Being Part of Something Larger. The teachers were proud to be part of the College which was a premier learning institution with a heritage.

In short, a good teacher acts on his belief that he is part of something larger. He lifts up his students, grows himself, supports his fellow teachers, and gives it all to build something bigger than himself.

The teachers have been and will be the lifeblood of St Benedict’s. They are living the legacy, and sowing the seeds for the future. Let us ask the good Lord to look upon our teachers with love, and to bless them as they face the challenges of the future, to endow them with gentle patience, kindle a spirit of passion in them, help them to see the potential in each student, and instil in them a commitment to keep learning.

Turning to our students. Leadership, confidence, responsibility, respect, resilience and integrity are some of the values cultivated in the Benedictine boy. The curricular and co-curricular programs, and extra-curricular activities offered, provide the arena for their holistic development. We salute our exemplary teachers who direct these activities and the Old Bens who continue to support these activities from near and afar.

On this momentous day, I would like to say to our students, learn well. Read without bookishness, yet with a pure passion for learning. As the Chinese philosopher Tao says: “Let hidden meanings dawn in your readings.” Learn for the future. Learn throughout Life, Seize every opportunity to learn. Learn for impact. Apply your skills to create positive, lasting benefits for you and others. Mahatma Gandhi reminds us: “Be the change you like to see.” I would add, transform yourself, so that you can transform your community and your society.

To the parents, I have a little message. We often hear stories of “Saviour Mums” and “Saviour Dads,” well meaning parents who try to protect their children but inadvertently deprive their children of opportunities to learn, by making mistakes, and understanding the consequences. We should resist this urge. Leave education to the educators.

Permit me to make reference to an Old Ben, whom I consider the consummate role model. I refer to Felix Dias who was Cricket Captain and Runner- up in the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year Contest, Athletics Champion and Head Prefect during the Benedictine Centenary Year in 1965. For the past 50 years, he has been the lynchpin of the alumni and the glue that has bound two generations of Benedictines together. There are other legendary icons from the past and present, as well. May their tribe increase. The College Development Fund, Welfare Fund, and the Old Ben’s Sports Club, deserve our continued support as we face the challenges ahead. I hope the present generation of Benedictines will draw inspiration from their illustrious predecessors so that they, in turn, will inspire future generations.

Be it the controversies of the early years of teaching Latin and the Classics, or the War years when St Benedict’s was dispersed in three locations – Kotahena, Wattala and Veyangoda, or the financial strife following the school takeover, the pioneers rode out the adversities with courage and honour. Our pioneers refused to accept the naysayers, dared to dream, and defied adversity by turning it into opportunity, resolute to make the impossible, possible. Let us accept that we can’t change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails, to reach our destination as our pioneers did. Remember – “Success is never final, and failure never fatal. It is courage that counts.”

In Closing, let us reaffirm that every teacher will be a caring educator, every parent will be supportive, every student will be an engaged learner, and every alumni will remain loyal and supportive. If we stand together, united by a sense of common destiny, and pursue our common cause with a rugged, vibrant spirit like our pioneers, we shall see a new rainbow, and ride it into the future with glory.

My earnest prayer and wish on this memorable day is that, the present and future generations, will uphold the traditions of our Alma Mater, honour and cherish its Motto, Flag, and Anthem, and will be loyal to the College, so that St Benedict’s can continue to produce outstanding citizens in all spheres of life for the prosperity of Sri Lanka and the world.