‘Turmoil in the knowledge hub’ - a reply

July 9, 2012, 7:33 pm , the island

The article titled ‘Turmoil in the Knowledge Hub’ by Dr. Laksiri Fernando states that he had credible information that there was interference with the student lists selected for university admissions. It is indeed very sad to note that my learned teacher has got his facts wrong. As the Chairman of the University Grants Commission, I take full responsibility to state that there is absolutely no interference of any sort in the selection of students. The process is considered as one of the most sacred functions in the higher education system, and the officers responsible for this process maintain the highest level of integrity and honesty. We always ensure that truth and justice prevails in the selection process, and that all applicants are treated as equals and that there is equity in the process. It is ironic to note that those who do try to influence are often those who espouse higher ideals of democracy and academic freedom from the academic community itself.

I do not know who this credible source is, that divulged such incredible information to the writer, and it is indeed very sad to note that a senior academic has resorted to penning down such information without verification. As a senior academic who has stayed in the system through thick and thin and put the students and their education before personal aggrandisement, I take full responsibility for this statement and I have the facts to prove what I say.

The second statement is that there is a tug-of-war between the UGC and the Department of Examinations and that there is an apparent breakdown of confidence. I have to mention that each institution has its own roles and responsibilities that are very clearly delineated in the system. The two institutions mentioned here have always maintained a very good understanding of these roles and responsibilities and have respected each other’s functions. We have no tug-of-war. As any administrator is fully aware, there is a need to adhere to the procedures and protocols that govern the two institutions, as we are accountable to the general public. Hence, we continue to function with a very good understanding and have identified the common ground where collaboration is necessary in dealing with complex national issues - the intricacies of which, do not seem to be all that clear to the writer.

Professor Gamini Samaranayake,

Senior Professor/Chair,

Chairman of the University Grants Commission,

Colombo 7.

Sri Lankan education then and now

July 9, 2012, 7:31 pm , the island

For a long period of time, many letters have appeared in your journal dealing with education in the country. These have covered practically all aspects of the subject – but the fact remains that we all know that it is still in a "glorious mess."

This writer, who graduated 62 years ago and became a professional in his field, remembers with nostalgia what education was in the country then. There were no strikes, no inhuman ragging, no mass suspensions, no hold ups simply because those who entered the institutions of higher education then came to learn and not to fool, or play politics.

There were several institutions which produced the professionals required by the country such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, architects, teachers etc. These people had one thing in common; discipline and the ability to mingle among themselves with ease and dignity, though they were in different professions.

It would not be irrelevant to mention here what a famous scientist at the time said regarding university education that he would wish to have in UK, then. The scientist was the physiologist, Professor Lord Douglas Adrian, Nobel prize winner for Medicine, Vice Chancellor, University of Cambridge, President of the Royal Society and an Order of Merit. The occasion was the annual meeting of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, in London.

The subject was ‘University Education in Britain’. He summed up his speech with the following words; "the university education I wish Britain to have is one where a lawyer sitting side by side with a historian, should be able to discuss poetry."

This country, struggling to solve the problem or education, is still so far away from the above ideal that in the opinion of this writer, we will never ever be able to come even close to this ideal.

The writer hopes that the two ‘great guns’ in our Ministry of Education will see this ‘little piece’.

An Old Timer,

Colombo 4.

Kelaniya dons meet to decide on strike

July 9, 2012, 9:53 pm , the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

 Lecturers of the Kelaniya University have been invited to a special committee meeting of their union tomorrow to decide whether to join the ongoing all out strike launched by the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA).

FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri told The Island that teachers of medical faculties, Kelaniya and Uva Wellassa Universities had yet to join the ongoing trade union action.

FUTA launched an indefinite strike on June 04 demanding the allocation of six per cent of GDP to the education sector, engagement of university teachers in the decision making process related to the higher education sector and a pay hike.

Dr. Devasiri said, 60 teachers of the Kelaniya University had asked their university union’s parent body to join the strike and they had called a special committee meeting for that purpose.

He said that there were no trade unions in the newly formed Uva Wellassa University and teachers there, too, were in the process of forming a trade union.Although medical faculty teachers did not participate in the strike, they had endorsed the FUTA demands, Dr. Devasiri said.

Dr. N. D. N. A. Mendis of the Faculty of Medicine Teachers’ Union, of the Colombo University, told The Island that his association, too, would join the strike if the government did not meed the FUTA demands.

Dr. Devasiri said that FUTA would participate in the second round of the discussion with Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga on Thursday.