Compliance or Deviation?
Investigating English Medium
Instruction in the Universities of Sri
Lanka.
Ryhana Raheem
Open University of Sri Lanka
Presentation on Sri Lanka
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Sociopolitico-Linguistic details.
Constitutional Provisions for Language.
Universities of Sri Lanka.
Selected Universities,Faculties & Media
of Instruction.
Status and Role of English and other
Languages.
Significant Socio-PoliticoLinguistic Events
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1830 –1833
Colebrooke Cameron
Commission to foster English as a medium of
instruction
1948
Independence from British rule
Establishment of Free Education
1956
Official Language Act (Makes
Sinhala the only official language)
1958
Tamil Language (Special Provisions)
Act (Tamil accorded official status in North
and East)
Significant Socio-PoliticoLinguistic Events
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1978
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1987
Sinhala and Tamil declared National
and Official languages.
English not recognised officially.
The Official Language of Sri Lanka
shall be Sinhala.
Tamil shall also be an official
language.
English shall be the link language”
The National Languages of Sri Lanka
shall be Sinhala and Tamil.
Constitution of Sri Lanka.
Chapter IV. Language
21. (1) A person shall be entitled to be
educated through the medium of either
of the National Languages.
Provided that the provisions of this
paragraph shall not apply to an
institution of higher education where
the medium of instruction is a language
other than a National language.
Constitution (contd.)
21. (2) Where one Language is a medium
of instruction for or in any course,
department or faculty of any University
directly or indirectly financed by the
State, the other National Language shall
also be made a medium of instruction
for….students who….were educated
through the medium of such other
National language.
Jaffna
Location of Selected
Universities
Peradeniya
SEU
Colombo
SJP
OUSL
Universities in Sri Lanka
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Colombo
Eastern University of
Sri Lanka
Jaffna
Kelaniya
Moratuwa
Open University of
Sri Lanka
Performing Arts
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Peradeniya
Rajarata
Ruhuna
Sabaragamuwa
Sri Jayawardenepura
South Eastern
University
Uva-Wellassa
Wayamba
Universities, Faculties & Media of
Instruction
Faculty
Arts
CBO.
JAFFNA OUSL
PDN
SJP
SEU
S,T
T
E
S,T,E
S
T
Agriculture
--
E
--
E
--
--
Dental Science
--
--
--
E
--
--
S,T,E
--
S,T
--
--
--
--
--
E
E
--
--
S,T,E
--
E
--
--
--
Medicine
E
E
--
E
E
--
Management
--
E
--
--
--
--
Science
E
E
E
E
S,E
E
Vet. Science
--
--
--
E
--
--
Grad. Studies
E
T,E
--
--
--
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Education
Engineering
Law
Status of Languages in Sri
Lankan Universities - Peradeniya
“All notices put up by the faculty are in
English.Students also use English to
announce sports activities-but they
sometimes use Sinhala especially when
they wish to announce cultural events
or entertainment. The usage of Tamil is
non-existent.”
Status of Languages..
“The library contains mostly English
books but Sinhala books are available in
the Sri Lanka section. Newspapers in all
three languages are available to
students.”
Status of Languages- Sri JP
“Sinhala has been the language of the
university since its establishment. But
English is used for interviews for
recruitment of academic staff and
circulars….The language policy of the
university often depends on the choice
of the Vice Chancellor”
Status of Languages Peradeniya
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All Staff & Faculty Board meetings, Senate
meetings, Academic Sessions are in English.
Most official correspondence is in English.
All Union meetings and transactions are in
Sinhala.
Counselling is conducted in the first language.
All Faculty handbooks are in English.
“Campus language” is Sinhala –even for
Tamil students.
Status of Languages- SEU
“In the Faculty of Arts, almost all
academic staff have done their
undergraduate and postgraduate
studies in Tamil. In the Faculties of
Management and Applied Sciences,
faculty have graduated in English.”
Status of Languages - Colombo
‘Even though lecturers in the Faculties of
Arts and Law teach in either Sinhala or
Tamil, they prepare lesson material and
hand –outs in English.
Most claimed it was easier to use
English as all relevant up-to-date
sources of information were in English.”
Status of Languages - Colombo
“The most common problem cited was
the lack of precise vocabulary in Sinhala
and Tamil. For example, Tamil scholars
have not been able to agree on a single
word for ‘State’.”
Status of Languages - Colombo
“All academic work (excluding teaching) such as
material preparation, conducting
examinations, research publications,
conducting seminars and workshops is in
English.
But most informal work such as group
discussions, group studies, communicating
with lecturers is done bilingually or in the
mother tongue or English.”
Status of Languages- Colombo
“Both lecturers and students prefer to
engage in their academic work in the
English language because they view
English as a language which would
enrich their studies and take them
along the path of social advancement.”
Status of Languages ..
“Although there is transition from first
language to English medium
instruction.. there is no uniformity or
consistency in its implementation”
Peradeniya
Status of Languages - Jaffna
“On the whole, though there is much talk
on language issues and the political
struggle to win the rights ( of Tamil
people), where education is concerned,
students as well as staff prefer English
as the medium of education.”