Ranjan Ramanaya’s attempt is credible and creditable

Ranjan Ramanaya’s attempt is credible and creditable

In a country where some politicians get their law degree without sitting a single paper, doing public examination under public view is creditable.

If you look at the comments under Youtube, the vulgar comments shows how putrid our public perception is.

My first lesson was in UK.

There was a gentleman over 50 years who sat (forget what) a public examination.

He was probably a miner.

When he was asked why?

He said to upgrade his knowledge and it is not a crime.

My real Guru is Sir John Kotalawela (our second Prime Minister), who said, one has to learn (upgrade knowledge) all one's life.

I was fortunate enough to see him in public hospital (as a kid in Kadewala Walavwa) in latter years and I made the final diagnosis myself (with my colleagues helping me).

My prediction was that he had couple of years of good life and went to UK.

Similarly, Venerable Narada (who introduced me to Dhamma) used to come to hospital for blood tests weekly and I never told him his long term outcome.

Both were gone when I came for a holiday 18 months later.

Then here was a very old gentleman, in UK who looked after a pygmy palm tree for 40 years, half his height.

One should have similar dedication to education.

Later years when teaching in the university, students come to me having failed the examination (the critical subject I taught) and wanted to give up.

Mind you dental students have never seen a postmortum in their entire life.

It is not a crime to fail, go back and do it right.

Only one guy had to leave (a foreign guy) the university due to falling my subject alone.

We fixed him an alternative course abroad.

He was a risk to medical / dental career.

Then there was very bright guy (affiliated to the parliament staff) who had entered the university in medicine but gave up after three months.

I interviewed him for a menial job and fixed him an alternative course in the university.

The ordinary level examination is conducted at base level and critical thinking and language teaching are not taught at all or rudimentary.

To see its level I sat English and French ‘O’ Level examination.

One can get a credit in English by just filling the empty spaces.

French was much difficult with translation from English to French and from French to English.

Composition and comprehension were even more difficult.

Both did not have oral or communication skills (we call it Viva in the university).

What is the big idea of learning a language without communication skills?

I expected a credit but got only a pass.

I was 55 years plus.

Leaning second language as an adult is difficult.

Learning second language should be done between 7 to twelve years.

My reasoning for learning was to translate my English poems and verses.

I am still trying it at easy pace.

Mind you there is a free French language course in the Internet called “Duolingo’.

Try it.

It is pretty good, if you are thinking to go to Canada.

The bottom line is do advance level to upgrade the rudimentary knowledge gathered at 'O' Level.

Learning is an upward process never downward. 

Do not be lazy.

Find time somehow.