| Download Complete Document June 30, 2005  The publication is the most comprehensive and scientific analysis of the education system in Sri Lanka ever undertaken by the World Bank. The report provides extensive statistical data and examines “Policies, Enrolment and Organization of the Education System” and presents in the second chapter a strong case on the “Economic and Social Benefits of Investing in Education.”
The chapter on “Resources and Service Delivery in Education” that follows analyses education investment in Sri Lanka, with a special focus on public investment, internal efficiency, and the quality of service delivery. “Status, Challenges and Policy Responses to Education” examines several important dimensions of education quality and presents four case studies undertaken especially for this report.
The last chapter, titled “Training and Links to the Labor Market,” seeks to fill an important information gap by undertaking an analysis of technical education and vocational training. This analysis complements the preceding study of the general education system. The discussion is enriched by comparative information on the various aspects of the education systems of a number of countries around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Columbia, Egypt, India, Lesotho, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, South Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
Executive Summary
English | Sinhala | Tamil Chapter One - The Education System: Policies, Enrolment and Organization
The Sri Lankan education system has been celebrated in development policy circles and the economic literature for its success in providing widespread access to primary and secondary education and enabling the country to attain comparatively high human development levels for a low
income economy. Up to the early 1990s, Sri Lanka enjoyed the highest basic social development outcomes relative to per capita income among virtually all developing countries [see Kakwani (1993),
UNDP (1998)]. This achievement was the result of strategic public policy decisions, over several
successive generations, to invest resources in education, health and other social services.
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Chapter Two - Economic and Social Benefits of Investment in Education
Investment in education has played a central role in Sri Lankan government policy for several generations. Key aims of public education policy have included: (i) enhancing economic equity; (ii) promoting inter-generational social mobility; (iii) increasing labor productivity and earnings through human capital accumulation; and (iv)prosperous society. The economic and development policy literature identifies two important streams of social benefits that flow from investment in education,
efficiency gains and equity improvements. This chapter analyzes the performance of the Sri Lankan education system in terms of both these streams of benefits, efficiency and equity.
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Investment in education is one of the central pillars of government policy in Sri Lanka. The objectives of investing public resources in education are to promote equity and social mobility, contribute to high and sustained economic growth, and enhance human development. In addition, private households invest resources in education to improve employment prospects, earnings and social status. Three key factors determining the quantity and quality of education outputs are the level, composition and distribution of education expenditures, the internal efficiency of the education system and the effectiveness of education service delivery mechanisms. This chapter analyzes education
investment in Sri Lanka, with a special focus on public country standards.
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Chapter Four - Dimensions of Education Quality: Status, Challenges and Policy Responses
The quality of education, broadly defined to cover cognitive achievement as well as other dimensions of learning, such as good team work, a disciplined and industrious work ethic, effective communication, visionary leadership, and good civic attitudes and practices, is at the core of the Sri Lankan education policy agenda. This chapter analyzes several important dimensions of education quality. First, an analysis of the level and determinants of cognitive achievement is undertaken. This is followed by a discussion of the government strategy to improve education quality and link education to the world of work. Next, a set of four case studies undertaken specially for this report, are presented.
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High unemployment rates among educated young people and their low skill levels are issues of critical policy concern for the Government. Youth unemployment, resulting mainly from prolonged job search, is of particular concern given the history of social unrest over youth joblessness. This is combined with another policy concern that school-leavers - grade 9, GCE O and A-levels, and university graduates are entering the labor market ill-prepared for the world of work. An important response from the Government has been to develop technical education and vocational training to facilitate the school to work transition and to reduce skills gaps and skill mismatches in the labor market.
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