A generation of hewers of wood and drawers of water - EDITORIAL

As August draws to a close, we are about to enter a somewhat tumultuous month ahead.   
The 1st week of September (1 to 7), is observed every year to educate the populace about the significance of nutrition. Adequate nutrition is the cornerstone that determines the well-being of a person, as it supports individuals in maintaining health status, average growth and development.   
But, oh la la, therein lies the major problem. This country is still in the grip of the after effects of our financial crisis, economic melt.   

While we have recovered from the worst days of the crisis, we are not out of the woods as yet.   
As a result of the crisis, a number of small and medium enterprises were forced to shutdown. In turn it meant, a large number of persons lost their jobs. Central Bank figures put the number of jobs lost at around or over 500,000. In other words, around a quarter of our people lost their livelihood.   

Many parents are therefore not in a position to provide their children nutritious meals, as they have either lost employment as a result of the COVID pandemic followed by the economic catastrophe which overtook the country.   
According to UNICEF, in December 2022, an estimated 6.2 million people (28 per cent of the population) are moderately acute food insecure, while 66,000 people are severely acute food insecure. Two in five households (41.8 per cent) spend more than 75 per cent of their expenditure on purchasing food, leaving little to spend on health and education.

The 8th of September is ‘International Literacy Day’. Sadly, results of a study undertaken by International Federation of Red Cross and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (in October 2022) with 2,871 households in 11 districts and 300 estate sector households have revealed, 60 percent of the participants showed fears of increase in risks of their children dropping out of schools.   

“Of the 2,871 households we interviewed, 34 percent households said their children’s education has been affected due to the economic crisis and 60 percent said they see an increase in risk of children dropping out from school at an early age,” Dr. Sinha Wickremesekara, a member of the research group said.   
While this situation has improved today, ensuring adequate nutrition, especially for children, is going to be a problem for a large section of our people.   

On the brighter side, the cost of living since the present president took power is far improved. Fuel and cooking gas are freely available (albeit at a cost). The price of our staple food - rice-dropped from Rs. 260/- in 2022 to Rs. 220/- by July this year. Similarly so have other food essentials such as powdered milk, dhal, sprats, eggs and sugar. 

 
The Central Bank and economists tell us inflation has been brought down and will be brought down further to single digit figures. This has unfortunately not been reflected in the ability of the common man/woman to provide their families with even two square meals a day as wages have not been raised for over two years.   
On different note, 8 September marks International Literacy Day. But in our country literacy levels are in danger of falling.   

As mentioned earlier, because of the economic crisis, many parents feel their children are at risk having to drop out of school at early age as they (parents) cannot afford to continue their children’s education.   
Making matters worse, Chairperson of the University Grants Commission, Professor Sampath Amaratunga warned the parliamentary watchdog, Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that although there needs to be 12,000 university lecturers, currently there are only 6,548.   

He pointed out that university lecturers were leaving the country in droves following the financial crisis.   
In other words, the number of formally educated persons in our country seems to be in danger of falling. What is worse, even those who qualify for university education will not be able to enter these hallowed halls of learning, because misguided persons are attempting to block the opening of private universities in the country.