A critical analysis of the equity of LIS education programs in Sri Lanka

Abstract

A major study on the critical analysis of Library and Information Science education in Sri Lanka was carried out by the author covering the 2004-2007 period and the equity of LIS education discussed in this paper was one element in this major study. The study on equity has three objectives, 1) to provide a brief introduction to the LIS education programs and the institutions which offer those programs in Sri Lanka 2) to analyze critically the equity of the LIS programs and 3) to make recommendations for the improvement. Four principal methods were used to collect the data required for the main research; semi structured interviews, questionnaires, review of relevant documents and participatory observations by the researcher. Four criteria, namely gender, income, geographic region and language were used to analyze the equity of LIS education programs. Findings in the study established that there is a gender imbalance in the LIS programs with 80-90 per cent female students, that an income inequity is evident, that there is a severe inequity in the regional distribution and language equity of the programs. The paper makes several recommendations to reduce these inequities and makes suggestions for further research.