* University lecturers of Sri Lanka continue to strike after talks with government fail
Fri, Jul 13, 2012, 09:59 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

July 13, Colombo: University lecturers in Sri Lanka who are currently engaged in a strike to win their demands including a salary increase are continuing with the trade union action after talks with government ended inconclusive.
The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) yesterday evening met with Presidential Secretariat Lalith Weeratunga to find solutions to the lecturers' demands that include an increase in the financial allocations to the education sector and an increase in salaries of university lecturers.
The discussion had continued till night, but had ended without any final decisions.
The secretary of FUTA Terrence Madujith said that the Presidential Secretary has invited them to another discussion at the beginning of the next week. However, the date, time and the venue for the discussion are yet to be informed.
He said that the last discussion the FUTA had with Weeratunga and the other officials was meaningful one although it failed to bring a settlement between the two parties.
FUTA says that they want to end the discussions soon. Madujith said that the President's Secretary also has agreed to a quick solution.
However, FUTA will continue the trade union action until the lecturers win their demands.

Z-score imbroglio: Student moves SC against delay in implementing court order

July 13, 2012, 9:43 pm 

by Chitra Weerarathne, the island

A student who sat the GCE Advanced Level examination in August 2011 has complained to the Supreme Court that though the Court, on June 25, 2012, directed the University Grants Commission to consider the students who faced that examination under the new and old syllabi as two different populations and to re-calculate the Z-scores, upto yesterday the UGC had not taken necessary action to implement that order.

The plaint said that the Court had clearly indicated that the new Z-scores, calculated according to accepted statistics and norms, should be released without undue delay. But, the authorities had not so far responded to that order.

The motion filed by the student, Bisal Barshitha Kaviratne of Matara, alleged that certain persons responsible for the calculation of the impugned Z-scores had made some comments to the media, undermining the authority of the Supreme Court.

The petitioner requested that the motion be mentioned on July 16, 17, 18 before the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice N. G. Amaratunga and Justice K. Sripavan.

Among the respondents cited were the Commissioner General of Examination and sixteen others.

The motion had said that the students are confused about the authorities delaying to comply with the court order.

A student, who had sat the GCE Advanced Level examination in August 2011, has complained to the Supreme Court that although the Supreme Court, on June 25, 2012, directed the University Grants Commission to consider the old and new syllabi as two different populations and to re-calculate the ‘Z-scores’, upto yesterday the UGC had not taken necessary action to implement the Court order.

The plaint said that the Court had clearly indicated that the new ‘Z-scores’, calculated according to accepted statistics and norms, should be released without undue delay. But, the authorities had not so far responded to that order.

The motion filed by the student had alleged that certain persons responsible for the calculation of the impugned ‘Z-scores’ had made some comments to the media, which undermined the authority of the Supreme Court.

The petitioner requested that the motion be mentioned on July 16, 17, 18 before the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice N. G. Amaratunga and Justice K. Sripavan.

The student who had made the application to the Supreme Court is Bisal Barshitha Kaviratne of Matara.

Among the respondents cited were the Commissioner General of Examination and sixteen others.

The motion had said that the students are confused about the authorities delaying to comply with the court order.