UGC Chairman says IUSF convener is an imposter, not a student

February 3, 2012, 9:57 pm , The Island.


by Dasun Edirisinghe

The University Grants Commission yesterday announced that the Convener of the so called Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) was not a university student anymore as he had not registered for study courses after 2008 and did not sit any of the university examinations since then.

UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake told The Island that the IUSF convener was an imposter parading as a student and misleading university undergraduates and organizing them to cause trouble.

He said that the IUSF now controlled by the radical wing of the JVP too was not a legal students union according to the University Act.According to Prof. Samaranayake, IUSF convener who introduced himself as Sanjeewa Bandara entered the Ruhuna University’s faculty of Management and Finance on 27. 12. 2005. He entered under the name Ranhoti Bandaralage Sanjeewa Mahesh Kumara of Vihara Watte, Kotagama, Bibile under the students number MR/ 2005/ 1287.

However, his last date of registration for study course was 08. 10. 2008, Prof. Samaranayake said.

He said that not only Sanjeewa Bandara, but also last two conveners of the IUSF too did not complete their study courses, but organized students protest showing themselves as undergraduates even after ceasing to be registered students.

Prof. Samaranayake said that those so called student leaders work for the agenda of the party.

He said that the IUSF was responsible for most inhumane ragging in the universities, while any form of ragging was prohibited within universities according to the law.

"Don’t fall into IUSF’s traps. Simply shun them", the UGC Chairman advised undergrads.

When contacted by The Island IUSF Convener Sanjeewa Bandara accepted UGC Chairman’s claims.

He said that his continuing fight for rights of students was the reason to lose his studentship.

"If a monk could lead a nurses union, why can’t I lead the IUSF as an ex – student," Bandara asked.

Mismatch between students enrolling in universities and those passing out

February 3, 2012, 9:47 pm , TheIsland

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Around 860,000 students enrol annually in state universities including the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), but the country produces only 13,000 graduates per year, a survey conducted by the Manpower Planning, Development and Research Division of the Department of Manpower and Employment reveals.

The study Determinants of Unemployment among Sri Lankan University Graduates has been conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Labour Relations, Ministry of Higher Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) with financial assistance from the International Labour Organisation.

It says that there are 15 public universities including nine affiliated institutions, five public institutions incorporated by Parliament Acts in Sri Lanka.

According to the report, a number of foreign universities have established local colleges in Sri Lanka, not as higher educational institutions but as Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) under the Board of Investments (BOI).In the absence of proper supervision by the UGC, official statistics on graduate output from these private institutions are difficult to verify. However, it could be concluded that including those who return after studies abroad, more than 15,000 graduates enter the Sri Lankan labour market each year, the study observes. That amount is rapidly increasing.

Education expenses have been financed and provided predominantly by the government. Quoting the Central Bank report 2010, the report says, the government expenditure on university education stood at 1.86% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

When contacted by The Island for comment, UGC Chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake said that the time duration of the degree courses were different and entire intake would not pass out in the same year.

"The general number that passes out in a given year is 13,000," he said.