Come on, Royal

Colombata kiri apata kekiri — Milk for Colombo, bitter cucumber for us — was a telling slogan of the JVP during their abortive insurrection of 1988-’89. It is a pithy and damning expression of the underprivileged rural youth on the way successive governments have discriminated against them as against the privileged youth of Colombo. Politicians who find their vote banks in rural areas have been crying out aloud, for long years, about the disparities in facilities provided for rural youth as against those in Colombo . But these disparities remain because those at the levers of power — politicians and bureaucrats — protect the rights and privileges of themselves.

The report of media minister Mr. Mangala Samaraweera stating that President Chandrika Kumaratunga has promised to allocate Rs 40 million from the President’s Fund to a hostel for Royal College and Education Minister, Mr. Richard Pathirana deciding to grant Rs. 20 million should be view in the context of urban — rural disparities. Per se, there can be no objections to privileged boys of Royal College having better hostel facilities even at a cost of Rs. 60 million but there are schools both in the provinces as well as in Colombo and suburbs which are very poorly equipped. Old Royalist, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera who hails from Matara should consider whether this sum of money voted for his old school is justified.

It will be argued that this hostel will be used by boys from the provinces who by and large will not be from affluent families. Even if it be so, should big schools like Royal College grow bigger and bigger while there are scarce funds to develop schools in the provinces? The government should consider this whole question of making big schools, bigger and bigger, in order to have their children as well as their friends and relatives in these institutions at the expense of the rural poor. There are other problems caused because of the sheer numbers involved. Today, schools like Royal and Ananda have as much as 6000 to 7000 students and these have virtually become mini towns. Some of the features that made these schools be recognised as ‘ good schools’ have been lost such as the intimate contacts between teachers and pupils. The head of a school having such numbers will obviously not be knowing most of his students.

There are other problems such as the massive traffic jams that are being created before schools open and close Colombo roads when school holidays are on Colombo becomes as peaceful as a village. The traffic jams created by these mini towns itself expose the fiction of the ‘two mile radius residency rule’ Children who are supposed to be living within a radius of two miles from their schools are travelling to Colombo from far away places such as Kalutara and Gampaha.

Big schools produce good examinations results, it is said. Indeed they do but at the cost of poor schools. After providing the best of teachers and other educational facilities these big government schools are blessed with the best of students from rural schools who have been raked in on scholarship examinations. Rural schools lose the best of their pupils to big schools. Under this system can the imbalance in our education system be ever corrected ?It is natural that parents want to send their children to the ‘ big schools’ for obvious reasons. But whether they these schools produce sound personalities as they did when their numbers were far less, is indeed in doubt.

We are well aware that many of those associated with Royal College will not view our comments favourably. The Old School tie is one of the strongest bonds that bind Sri Lankan society. What we would suggest to the Old Boys of the ‘ School of their fathers’ is to build a hostel on their own rather than depend on state funds. The Colombo University Alumni set a good example when they built a hostel for women by collecting funds. There are the old private schools that charge moderate fees who maintain their schools on the goodwill of past students. Today, there are many Old Royalists who are merchant princes heading most of the Blue Chip companies. There will be tens of thousands of Old Royalists who received the best of free education who could contribute to a hostel building fund. That we say, as Royalists say in their school song is how:’to play the game’.

It does seem ironic that while the government had decided to spend Rs 60 million of state funds for a Royal College hostel, the school — or the old boys — can afford to send the Royal College rugger team — a 27 member squad — for a twelve day tour of England! Its time that the’ fathers who learned the way before’ the present day Royalists, build the hostel and let some poor schools get that Rs 60 million.