INVITED ARTICLE: YOUTH IN THE SRI LANKAN POPULATION: EXPANSION OF THEIR SIZE, ENGAGEMENT IN EDUCATION AND EMERGING CHALLENGES

Abstract

The main objective of the paper is to investigate the population dynamics of present and future decades with special reference to the youth population, and emerging challenges of youth with special reference to their education. Apart from the population projection information, data was collected from various publications of the Ministry of Education and the Department of Census and Statistics. The youth (age 15-29 years) bulge will be at its peak during the period of 2030s and 2040s. The data indicates a significant increase of school dropouts in Sri Lanka – compared to 2018 by 2020 the student population declined by about 151,000. Although, during the period 2016 to 2018 there was an increase of students in the Collegiate cycle (Grade 12/13), during 2018 to 2020 the student population declined by 146,000 – ‘Lost Generation’. The COVID-19 impact on school education could be attributed to this drop and economic recession and escalation of inflation have further discouraged students to move into Grade 11 and above levels. In this present serious economic recession and inflation, those who left schools would be pushed into vulnerable employment categories, including the sex industry. Thus, appropriate policy reform is an immediate need, to capitalize on the full potential of the Sri Lankan youth for the development of the nation.