Youth – I despair for them – how can we make the required SEA CHANGE?

The unprecedented generation gap, made worse by the technological age, has alienated youth to a degree the adults just don’t seem to understand. I think this is NOT unique to Sri Lanka, it is everywhere, and this clash is the topic here.

The most important aspect is that with small families, parents have gone out of their way to give not love, but material things as a way of placating desire and keeping up with the Jones of smart phones and motorbikes. We have created a generation without responsibility or a care in the world as parents continue to subsidize the child’s every need and desire, resulting in a complete breakdown in the social order.

Parents in short have reneged on their basic parental responsibilities without realizing their great error of omission. Who can take their place? It is simply too late to get parents to reform, so it is down to pre-school, age 3, 4 and 5 to do the needful, from being socially responsible, community spirited, sharing, loving respectful, disciplined work ethic, and above all know what is RIGHT AND WRONG, GOOD AND BAD.

This is the most urgent need of the hour before any other, even a new Constitution, which seems to be the flavor of the year. How do you go about this?

1                   Use abandoned school buildings of about 4,000 schools that will be closed in the next few years with pupils currently under 100.

2                   Train 5,000 Montessori teachers in 2 year intensive which cost them Rs50,000 for a course that costs the Govt. Rs1M, so there is a commitment on the part of the Student Teacher!

3                   Promise a total package of Rs100K monthly, for first class diploma holder, Rs75K for second class and Rs50K for those who pass.

4                   There are existing teacher training schools, that can be used around the Island, and provide accommodation by building hostels if necessary.

5                   English is a basic for Tamil and Sinhala teachers, and IT with the use of Smart phones, and I pads provided to all, to know how to access data and subject matter on which they will be tested.

6                   Pass a law where kids attending recognized pre-schools will be taught free and mothers will also be given classes in child psychology, so that the goals can be clearly explained and all stakeholders bought into the concept.

This fairly simple solution that ca n easily be funded, will pay dividends in 20 years, but it is more sure than just hoping for the best. Unless there is a concrete plan to raise this country to the next level, like in Korea, we will never succeed