The Cartoon of the Day, The Island

UGC chief denies resignation bid, calls for national dialogue on higher education

May 27, 2012, 11:23 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe,the island

Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Prof. Gamini Samaranayake said yesterday that Sri Lanka needed a thorough dialogue on higher education as much focus was given only to the preliminary and secondary education at present.

Denying rumors that the UGC Chairman had tendered his resignation, Prof. Samaranayake said that some sections of the higher education sector wanted his resignation.

He said that a dialogue on higher education system should be held with the participation of all stakeholders.

"We will have to give much focus to university education," Prof. Samaranayake said.

He said Sri Lanka’s Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) – the youth between 18 and 24 years receiving higher education was 15%. It was 18% in India.

The UGC was planning to increase the GER to 20% and 30% by 2016 and 2020 respectively, Prof. Samaranayake said.

He said that action would be taken to develop the external degree programme with a view to increasing the GER.

"Some retrograde forces want to derail these programmes to achieve their political objectives," Prof. Samaranayake said, adding that they were responsible for spreading those rumours that he had resigned.

University dons meet tomorrow to plot their course

May 27, 2012, 11:25 pm

by Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

University teachers would take several key decisions pertaining to the salary issue and the admission of their children to popular schools among other things at the executive committee meeting of the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) scheduled to be held tomorrow (29) at the Colombo University.

FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri told The Island that they would discuss the University Grants Commission Chairman’s decision to call for a report on an incident involving a lecturer of the Sri Jayewardenepura University at the Education Ministry recently.

There was a quota to admit children of university teachers to popular schools but education secretary scolded a FUTA delegation which had a meeting with him, Dr. Devasiri said.

Dr. Devasiri said some school principals too refused to admit university teachers’ children and they would discuss future course of action against it at tomorrow’s meeting.

The government was still turning a blind eye to their repeated appeals to increase the salaries of university teachers, the FUTA president said, adding that the higher education ministry had not given them an appointment for the past several weeks. He said the government had ignored the university teachers’ request for the allocation of at least 6% of the GDP to education.