Tension at Sri J’pura University over Mahapola payments

Island

August 10, 2011, 9:47 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe

A tense situation prevailed at the Sri Jayewardenepura University yesterday morning as students surrounded the administration building demanding a discussion with the Vice Chancellor.

They surrounded the Vice Chancellors office for five hours, but later dispersed as VC Dr. N. L. A. Karunaratne was not in his office.

Undergraduates were protesting against the delay of the Mahapola payments for first year students. The VC had cancelled the scheduled event to grant the payments yesterday too, according to the Students’ Council.

"We are demanding the Mahapola payments for eight months," President of the Students Council Kamburupitiye Knanissara thera told The Island.

He said that Vice Chancellor suppressed the students for years and they wanted him to resign.

"There is lack of welfare facilities too in the university and the university administration always refuses to discuss the problems with us," Knanissara thera said.

He said that they will decide on whether to go for a massive protest over the Vice Chancellor refusing to meet them yesterday.

VC Dr. N. L. A. Karunaratne was not available for immediate comment.

English and IT study programmes at a standstill: IUSF 

Dailymirror 

Thursday, 11 August 2011 02:12

By Lakna Paranamanna
The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) said yesterday the three-month English and Information Technology study programme for new university entrants was not functioning in certain districts as a result of flaws in planning.
IUSF Convener Sanjeewa Bandara told a media briefing that though the programme was to be worked out at 250 centres countrywide, the work has come to a standstill at several centres due to the lack of proper facilities and coordinators.
“A group of coordinators trained at the British Council were to be appointed to each study centre. But, they are not carrying out their allotted work because Higher Education Ministry has reduced the promised salary of Rs.40,000 to a mere Rs.18,000,” he added.
Mr. Bandara said inefficient teaching methods have made it difficult for participants to keep up with the course contents. “It is common knowledge that a majority of students who enter university are not fluent in the English language or in IT skills. Therefore it is essential for these students to be taught the basics before moving into advanced topics. The study-programme handbook has still not been distributed at most centres including Gampaha, Polonnaruwa and Meepe,” he said.

Undergrads surround VC’s office 

Dailymirror 

Thursday, 11 August 2011 02:08

By Lakna Paranamanna
Sri Jayawardenapura University first year students yesterday surrounded Vice Chancellor N.L.A. Karunaratne’s office building and attempted to prevent him from leaving the premises following his decision to hold back the Mahapola scholarships that was to be awarded to the students.However, some two hours later the protesting students found that by then the VC had left his office.
Jayawardenapura University Students’ Union Convener the Venerable Kamburugamuwe Gnanessara Thera said the crisis had arisen because of a statement made by Dr. Karunaratne during an event at the university premises.
“During an event to award Mahapola scholarships to first year students yesterday, the VC unexpectedly announced that none of the students will be awarded the scholarships and stormed out of the auditorium,” he said.
As a result the disappointed students had surrounded the administration building, in an attempt to prevent the VC from leaving his office.
“The students are determined to continue their struggle until the VC withdraws his statement and takes measures to award the scholarships they are entitled to receive,” Rev. Gnanessara Thera said. Meanwhile, he said the Mahapola scholarships which had been held back by the VC, was to have been been awarded more than a year ago.