Govt. destroying education system the way it wiped out LTTE – Ranil

August 6, 2012, 10:14 pm, the island


by Zacki Jabbar

 The UNP and the United Socialist Alliance (USA) yesterday launched an interaction with various stakeholders in the education system with a view to countering what they called the government’s retrograde policies.

A group of nearly 300 university teachers, former directors of education and members of the administrative service participated in the discussion at the Parliamentary Complex with UNP and USA leaders including Ranil Wickremesinghe, Joseph Michael Perera, Tissa Atttanayake, Ravi Karunanayake, Kabir Hashim and Sritunga Jayasuriya.

Wickremesinghe said that the government instead of improving the education system was destroying it with a sense of vigour that it had displayed in the last stages of the war against the LTTE.

Resolving the complex problems that had crippled the education sector required skill, understanding and an enlightened approach. The attitude of the President and his Ministers of Education and Higher Education left much to be desired, Wickremesinghe noted.

Wickremesinghe said that the opposition had already presented two private members motions to parliament to ensure that all students received free education until they completed their higher studies.

As a beneficiary of free education it was his wish that future generations should also be given the same opportunity, the UNP leader said.

The university teachers in response said that they wanted at least six percent of the GDP to be allocated for education and not the measly 1.8 percent at present. Their demand for a salary hike and issues such as the Z-Score should be implemented in a practical and efficient manner. Failure to resolve their grievances would result in continuation of their trade union action, they said.

The interaction ended with all participants agreeing to meet shortly to assess the situation and decide on a future course of action.