Is the grass greener inside the university? - EDITORIAL

Ragging at universities pops up as a topic for discussion akin to a rubber ball finding its way from under the water after being pressed down by somebody. At present ragging at Sri Lankan universities is much spoken of and alongside it the role of political parties that influence undergraduates’ thinking.

One grievance of parents is that their children, after being admitted to university and having started higher studies, are making their exit from university due to excessive ragging. The talk among parents is that the ragging given to some of them is inhuman. A little investigation into the ragging that’s happening reveals that those targeted for severe ragging are students who come from middle income and upper-middle income class families. And what’s disturbing is that the seniors who order this type of questionable ragging are from low income families and have connections with ultra-radical political parties.

Don’t we see some sort of a comparison between the undergrads who are leaving university prematurely and the youth from affluent families being in a hurry to leave Sri Lanka after the completion of the A’ Level Examination? When those who have lived in poverty acquire wealth and position through politics and have a say in decision making, such people would never allow the affluent to get to the hot seat of power. The universities have been controlled by student groups that have affiliations with political parties like the JVP and the Frontline Socialist Party.

The control at universities has always been in the hands of radical student groups. A close study of some of these student leaders- who promote ragging- makes us observe that they have weak personalities, intolerant natures, lack a thorough understanding of what’s good and evil and are often overcome by feelings of hatred and jealousy.
Parents wish that Sri Lanka’s universities become safe places for bright students to enter and then complete their higher education. Every now and then even student unions talk about putting a stop to ragging at universities. But some of those who preach on the negativities of ragging are not that genuine.

Young Journalist of the year award winner (2022) Amandika Cooray in her column to Anidda newspaper (2022-12-18) opines that she feels university lecturers too have their ways of ragging students. Hence what can you ask from the hierarchy as the solution to ragging?
These authorities at university occasionally talk about stopping ragging when they wish to gain mileage by talking about the topic.

In years gone by the university was safe as home and undergraduates received a healthy education. Students entering university had both an educated way of thinking and behaviour. The first is even guaranteed today, but not the latter. It beats many when trying to find how students from less affluent family backgrounds and lower social status don’t raise their status and their thinking to a positive and accommodating way once inside university that allows climbing the ladder of social stratum. This is exactly the positive change that takes place in students who enter the elite Colombo 7 school- next door to the campus- after excelling at the year 5 scholarship and O’ Level Examinations. Then why not at university?
Parents of low income families who dream of a bright future for their children entering university wish to see a shift in thought patterns too.

When we look at schools the structure and culture have developed in such a way that parents would pay anything to get their children into grade one. But as with the university the same cannot be said; which is a sad reflection of the negative cultures present in university education.
How much the system in education has changed, over the years, for the worse surfaces when we see a good number of children being forced to think that it’s not worth the trouble enduring inhuman ragging and violence inside university to complete the first stage of higher education.

University student leader Wasantha Mudalige was released on bail on Wednesday (February 1) after being held in custody for 167 days. Mudalige and his colleagues are fighting for a cause that demands the right to free education. The whole nation would no doubt throw its weight behind such a cause. But Mudalige and his university colleagues must now look within the university that produced them. This is to see whether new university entrants also get to experience within this academic institution ‘the right to free education’ that Mudalige and his colleagues are demanding while protesting against the government.