How do you evaluate Sri Lankan Credentials?

& Effectively recruit Sri Lankans

Presented by Nelum Senadira

OSEAS Student AdviserUS-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission

EducationUSA

•Supported by US Department of State

•Approximately 450 EducationUSA centers worldwide.

•Centers are in different organizations, with various setups

Educational Advising CentersHost Organizations

24%

21%

21%

14%

10%

2%8%

UNIVERSITIES/LIBRARIES

BINATIONALCENTERS

U.S. EMBASSIES

FULBRIGHTCOMMISSIONS

NGOs

MINISTRIES

OTHER

Sri Lanka

•Multi-ethnic

•Multi religious

•Population – 19 million

•Democratic political system

•Free market economy

• Adult literacy rate 92%

• Youth literacy rate 97%

• State expenditure on education 3.1%

The System

• Compulsory schooling

• State funded education

• English taught as a second language

• Public, private, international schools

• 15 State universities

• Professional institutions

The StructureLevel/Age Grades Comments

Primary/ 5-9 yrs 1-5Jr. Secondary/10-15 yrs 6-11 G.C.E. (O/L)

Sr. Secondary/Collegiate 16-17 yrs

12-13 G.C.E. (A/L)

Undergraduate BA, BSc (Gen)

BA,BSc, B.Com (Sp)

MBBS

3 years

4 years

5 years

Graduate MA/MSc/MBA

PhD

2 years

3 years

Concerns• Admission to Universities only on Sri Lankan

A/Ls.

• Of the qualified, only 2% will enter.

• Ragging.

• Constant closures due to political interferences.

• Vigorous propaganda campaigns by others.

How do you evaluate Sri Lankan Credentials?

Sri Lankan Education System– Existing Reference: • AACRAO’s 1986 P.I.E.R publication

“The Academic Placement of Students From South Asia: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – A Workshop Project Report” edited by Leo Sweeney and Valerie Woolston

• NOOSR’s 1992 Country Education Profiles “Sri Lanka, a comparative study”, by Australian Department of Employment, Education and Training

• The Internet:

• University Grants Commission www.ugc.ac.lk,• Ministry of Education: www.moe.gov.lk

Many changes during the last two decades

Most notable:

• Changes in Structure of education

• Changes to the A/L

The Present

Structure of Education

• Introduced in 1999.

• Fully implemented in 2000.

• Includes changes from Gr. 1-13.

Medium of InstructionRe-introduction of English as a choice for medium of instruction

• School Structure • Primary: Gr. 1-5, Age of admission 5+,

Curriculum begins at Gr. 1• Junior Secondary: Grade 6-9• Senior Secondary: Grade 10-11, G.C.E.(O/L)

exam• Collegiate: Grade 12-13, G.C.E. (A/L) exam

**Result: 13 years of High School Education**

Changes to the A/L

• Reduction of subjects from 4 to 3 (6.6 hours per week per subject for two years )

• Introduction of core subjects: a) Common General Paper (CGP) - a reasoning test

b) General English Paper (basic level)

• Admission to University: a) a pass in all 3 subjects + CGP

b) degree of difficulty level of subjects (Z-score).

University Level:

• Undergraduate: LLB, BA & BSc (General) = 3yearsBA & BSc (Special)& B.Com = 4 yearsMBBS = 5 years

• Postgraduate:Masters = 2 yearsPhD= 5 years

Formal education begins at grade 1. Result: 13 years of High School education. Re-introduction of English as a medium of education

3 subjects Common General Paper: measures General Knowledge & IQ General English Paper: Not equal to the subject English. Equal to UK GCE A/L exam.