Browsing by Author "Abayasekara, Ashani"

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    Are there good quality teachers for all classrooms in Sri Lanka?
    (Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka, 2017-12) Arunatilake, Nisha; Abayasekara, Ashani
    Highly qualified teachers in all classrooms are necessary for implementing education reforms aimed at modernising and improving education in the country.Using school census data for 2016, this study examines the adequacy of teachers for teaching mathematics,English and Science at the secondary level in Sri Lanka. across provinces and across different school categories.The study also analyses the distribution of government expenditure on teacher salaries across different types of schools. The study finds that although the available number of teachers for different subjects is sufficient at the national level, the available in-field and experienced teachers are inadequate to meet the current demand for such teachers. The study further finds that the deployment of teachers and the distribution of public expenditure on qualified teacher salaries are not equal across different categories of schools.
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    Are there Good Quality Teachers for All Classrooms in Sri Lanka?
    (Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2017) Abayasekara, Ashani; Arunatilake, Nisha
    Highly qualified teachers in all classrooms are necessary for implementing education reforms aimed at modernizing and improving education in the country. Using School Census data for 2016, this study examines the adequacy of teachers for teaching mathematics, English and science at the secondary level in Sri Lanka, across provinces, and across different school categories. The study also analyses the distribution of government expenditure on teacher salaries across different types of schools. The study finds that although the available number of teachers for different subjects is sufficient at the national level, the available in-field and experienced teachers are inadequate to meet the current demand for such teachers. The study further finds that the deployment of teachers and the distribution of public expenditure on qualified teacher salaries are not equal across different categories of schools.
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    Better Schools for Better O-Level Results in Sri Lanka
    (Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2017) Abayasekara, Ashani; Arunatilake, Nisha
    Good performance at the O-Levels is a pre-requisite for further education in Sri Lanka. Using School Census data for the year 2016, in this study we examine the impact of school-level resources on student performance at the O-Levels. We find largely consistent results employing three different methods of estimation, including a hierarchical linear modelling technique. Of the school characteristics considered, school status, school type, school size, school-generated funds from external sources, and the share of scholarship-holding students have significant impacts on O-Level performance. The share of experienced in-field teachers and qualified principals also matter, as well as the commitment of teachers, measured by teacher absence. From a policy perspective, our findings highlight the need for measures to improve school and teacher resource quality – particularly in smaller and 1C and Type 2 schools – and for incentives to minimize teacher absenteeism.
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    Better Schools for Better O-Level Results in Sri Lanka
    (Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2017) Abayasekara, Ashani; Arunatilake, Nisha
    Good performance at the O-Levels is a pre-requisite for further education in Sri Lanka. Using School Census data for the year 2016, in this study we examine the impact of school-level resources on student performance at the O-Levels. We find largely consistent results employing three different methods of estimation, including a hierarchical linear modelling technique. Of the school characteristics considered, school status, school type, school size, school-generated funds from external sources, and the share of scholarship-holding students have significant impacts on O-Level performance. The share of experienced in-field teachers and qualified principals also matter, as well as the commitment of teachers, measured by teacher absence. From a policy perspective, our findings highlight the need for measures to improve school and teacher resource quality – particularly in smaller and 1C and Type 2 schools – and for incentives to minimize teacher absenteeism.
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    Better schools for better O-Level results in Sri Lanka
    (Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka, 2017-11) Abayasekara, Ashani; Arunatilake, Nisha
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    Creative and cultural industries in Sri Lanka
    (Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka, 2020-03) Hirimuthugodage, Dilani; Abayasekara, Ashani; Dissanayake, Nimesha; Thibbotuwawa, Manoj
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    The price elasticity demand in the United States: a three-dimensional analysis
    (2018) Abayasekara, Ashani; Burke, Paul J.
    In this paper we employ a dataset of three dimensions—state, sector, and year—to estimate the short- and long-run price elasticities of state-level electricity demand in the United States. Our sample covers the period 2003–2015. We contribute to the literature by employing instrumental variable estimation approaches, using the between estimator, and pursuing panel specifications that enable us to control for multiple dimensions of fixed effects. We conclude that state-level electricity demand is very price inelastic in the short run, with a same-year elasticity of –0.1. The long-run elasticity is near –1, larger than often believed. Among the sectors, it is industry that has the largest long-run price elasticity of demand. This appears to in part be due to electricity-intensive industrial activities clustering in low-price states
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    Regional Economic Cooperation And Connectivity In South And South-West Asia: Potential And Challenges
    (2013-10-01) Kelegama, Saman; Abayasekara, Ashani
    Although South and South-West Asian countries helped drive global economic recovery in 2010,this study suggests that economic integration and cooperation in the sub-region is low and below potential, especially compared to East Asia. Not only do additional possibilities exist for mutually beneficial cooperation, but regional economic integration and cooperation is also essential if the sub-region is to sustain its growth momentum, and address its key development challenges in future. This process involves enhancing intra-regional trade; removing obstacles to inter-regional trade in services; allowing a freer movement of labor; developing deeper and more crisis-resilient financial markets; and coordinating appropriate monetary and fiscal policies. Enhancing regional connectivity is a multifaceted task that requires the implementation of bold policy initiatives at the national and regional levels, and in many different areas. Such a task could sustain the sub-region's dynamism in decades to come andreduce the wide disparities in economic opportunities within and across South and South-West Asian countries.
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    What Prevents Equitable Access to Tertiary Education in Sri Lanka?
    (Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2018) Arunatilake, Nisha; Jayawardena, Priyanka; Abayasekara, Ashani
    The project proposes to identify whether free education has resulted in improving access to tertiary education to all. It also proposes to assess how inequalities in access to tertiary education result in inequalities in employment outcomes.