This theme would bring an English saying to our minds, namely that 'seeing is believing'. Indeed if we glance at the news in the printed media, we become aware of the
innumerable schools and tuition classes that are advertising English as their principal occupation. So also when we tune in to the radio and watch television. Regular news items are interrupted to advertise a school or tuition class specializing in English. All of them have just one message to transmit, that English is the doorway and road to success. The rush for learning English is comparable to the gold rush of old.
We often hear village folk bluntly asking: what can you do without English? We have already stated that during the British colonial peliuds --xblxish was the gateway to success for the wealthy classes and the elite families of that time. It would appear that very little has changed since then. Just take a look around and see for yourself. You will then be compelled to believe what you see.
First let us think of the House of Reoresentatives of the nation which is also the supreme law making body for the entire country. Just listen to some debates. Whenever the Ministers of Education and Higher Education speak, the opposition taunts them by reminding them that local education is for the poor, the underprivileged and the down trodden masses. Now local education is principally in the vernacular languages, being Sinhalese and Tamil.
Those who defend this educational system are publicly accused of sending their own kith and kin abroad where the education is mainly in English. Even the leaders of communist and Marxist parties who are all the more expected to practice what they preach are said to do the same! Furthermore, just see the chaos that takes place when the rulers decide to set up private universities in whatever be the field, in this country.
Opposition parties of all affiliations, call them right-wing, center left-wing or whatever, all come to the fore with strong protests. Student organizations take to the road and hold largescale public demonstrations. Why is it so? The answer is clear as crystal. The language of education in such establishments will necessarily be English. Those who will eventually enroll in such private universities will be the children of the privileged classes. Studying in such institutions involves great outlays of money. This is obviously beyond the scope of the vast majority of the citizens.
