# data[].attributes.body
Sri Lankan academics are among the poorest paid in Asia, with monthly salaries as low as 20,700 rupees ($US190) for a junior lecturer and 57,000 rupees for a professor. They have not received a rise since 1996, and in 2006 the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse cut their academic allowances from 30 percent to 25 percent of their monthly salary.

The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) has called for a “dignified salary increment” in monthly salaries of up to 200 percent. It is also urging the creation of a special professional category for university teachers and the trebling of the budgetary allocation for education from 2 percent to 6 percent of gross domestic product.

SOURCE: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2011/05/slus-m23.html

# data[].attributes.body
- proposed plan to increase the education expenditure from 2% to 6%,
- implementing free education

# data[].attributes.body
- GDP: by how much can they raise the education expenditure by and what are the consequences?
- average teacher salary
- development of university courses (funding for other subjects excluding the Arts)
- how can univeresities be made more accessible to the disadvantaged communities?
- Is it possible to develop new university campuses so that they can be reached in every province?
- Is home schooling an option?
- What about international scholarships?

# data[].attributes.body
- teachers (demanding higher salaries)
- students (are entitiled to a free education)
- poor/disadvantaged communities (need access to better resources and facilities)
- politicians (have personal agendas)
- academics
- University Grants Commission (UGC)

# data[].attributes.body
The expenditure on education is currently at 1.9% of the GDP/ Due to the low funding, in 2012 21 universities were forced to close down.

# data[].attributes.body
"July 4th, when nearly 5,000 lecturers went on strike to call for a 20% salary increase. The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) said droves of academics were leaving Sri Lanka because of poor wages."

Dr Mahim Mendis of the Open University Teachers Association said recently: "The salaries of Sri Lankan academics are atrociously poor when we compare our scales with professionals serving other sectors such as the Central Bank in Sri Lanka and academics worldwide."

# data[].attributes.body
There are 15 national Universities including the Open University, 3 Campuses and 17 affiliated Institutes offering Diploma, Degree and Post Graduate degrees.

Australia is home to 43 universities with at least one university main campus based in each state or territory.

# data[].attributes.headline
Number of pupils in each grade of government school by age

# data[].attributes.subject
Number of pupils in each grade of government school by age

# data[].attributes.body
- On average each year, there are 833 333 students who sit their AL's

- The annual enrolment number for undergraduates in national Universities is around 20,000

- This is about 2.4% of their age cohort.

- About 51% of them are female students. However the female student enrolment for engineering, information technology, physical science courses is less than 20%.

- UGC admits students to Universities based on the results of the General Certificate of Education (Advanced Level) Examination conducted at national level by the Commissioner General of Examinations.

# data[].attributes.body
What are the consequences of increasing the education budget?

# data[].attributes.body
Have any plans been made to combat the problem?

# data[].attributes.body
What are the main factors that caused this issue to evolve into a wicked problem?

# data[].attributes.body
Is the level of exclusivity constant across the island or is it higher in certain areas?

# data[].attributes.body
Who is involved in making the decisions involving distributing education funds? What are their stances?

# data[].attributes.body
How does society’s conception of those who study the sciences vs. the arts impact the student’s decision?

# data[].attributes.body
Does the exclusivity of higher education impact employment rates in Sri Lanka?

# data[].attributes.body
When did this issue start or begin to escalate?

# data[].attributes.body
1.http://www.statistics.gov.lk/page.asp?page=Education

2.http://portal.unesco.org/geography/en/files/10905/12353682765Sri_Lanka.pdf/Sri%2BLanka.pdf

3.http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/global/australian-education/universities-and-higher-education/list-of-australian-universities

4.http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/08/higher-education-sri-lanka

5.http://theconversation.com/english-lessons-alone-wont-boost-employment-in-south-asia-31387

6.http://www.forbes.com/places/sri-lanka/

7. http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/05/saving-state-u-why-we-must-fix-public.html

8. http://www.slaihee.org

9. http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20101217222537640

10. http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/overview/skills-base-improving-quality-and-access-are-key-objectives-government’s-education-plans

11. http://www.adb.org/publications/sri-lanka-education-sector-development-program

12. http://www.ugc.ac.lk/en/universities-and-institutes/undergraduate.html?start=100

13. http://www.ugc.ac.lk/attachments/1672_Progress%20report%20on%20Budget%20Proposal_2016.pdf

14. http://www.adb.org/countries/sri-lanka/economy

15. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/sri_lanka_statistics.html

16. http://www.fulbrightsrilanka.com/?page_id=609

17. http://www.ide.go.jp/Japanese/Publish/Download/Report/2013/pdf/C02_ch7.pdf

18. http://www.classbase.com/Countries/sri-lanka/Education-System

19. http://www.adb.org/countries/sri-lanka/strategy

20. http://workinsrilanka.lk/education/primary-and-secondary-education-systems/

21. http://intca.org/higher-edu-part-1/

22. http://intca.org/higher-edu-part-2/

# data[].attributes.headline
Number of pupils in government schools by province:

# data[].attributes.subject
Number of pupils in government schools by province:

# data[].attributes.body
Could the content taught in primary school affect the decisions of students attempting to attend university?

# data[].attributes.body
- More than 1/3rd of all graduates who come out of national universities every year are Arts and Humanities.

# data[].attributes.body
- lack of teacher supply
- social perception of certain courses
- lack of access to Advance level curriculum in other subjects excluding Art

# data[].attributes.body
- overwhelming number of students getting Art degrees
- high unemployment rate
- lack of teacher supply
- social perception of certain courses

# data[].attributes.body
The lack of admission to higher education in Sri Lanka