Academics holdout

By Binoy Suriyaarachchi, Ceylon Today

A request made by the Examination Department to university dons to take part in assessing answer scripts of the GCE Advanced Level Examination, was yesterday refused by the Federation of the University Teachers' Association (FUTA).

FUTA President, Dr. Nimal Ranjith Devasiri speaking to Ceylon Today said they have informed all academics to not engage in such action until their demands are granted unconditionally.

“Since, we have been involved in trade union action, the professors, doctors and lecturers will be not participated for the purpose,” he said. 

Dr. Devasiri also said even though the Commissioner General of Examinations W.M.N.J. Pushpakumara had informed university academics to take part in a discussion to be held at the Examinations Department on Monday (24) none of the academics will participate.

Meanwhile, a march from Galle to Colombo to create awareness among the general public about their trade union action will be launched, today.

The academic staff of the Peradeniya Medical Faculty has also extended their support to FUTA’s trade union action, with effect from today.

Previously, with the exception of the academic staff of the Ruhuna Medical Faculty the academic staff of other medical faculties refrained from joining the strike.
The university academics commenced trade union action on 4 July, demanding the government address the fundamental issues which have been neglected for a long time in the educational sector.

The issues which have been highlighted by FUTA are the allocation of 6% from the GDP for the education sector with an adequate pay increase for university academics in order to prevent the` brain drain.’ FUTA also demanded decisions with regard to the education sector should be taken in consultation with the university academics

FUTA members to ignore Exams chief’s call

September 23, 2012, 10:06 pm

By Nilantha Madurawala, The Island

The striking university teachers have decided not to attend a discussion, called by Examinations Commissioner, on evaluating the answer scripts of the 2012 GCE Advanced Level examination.

Examinations Commissioner W. M. N. J. Pushpakumara has sent letters to some 400 university teachers to attend a discussion today and tomorrow (25) to discuss matters pertaining to the evaluation of the Advanced Level answer scripts.

General Secretary of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations, Terrance Madhujith said that a few pro-government university teachers may attend today’s meeting but the majority of FUTA members would boycott it.

Govt. teachers asked to join FUTA protest march

September 23, 2012, 9:57 pm , The Island


The pro-JVP Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union has requested all teachers in government schools to join a march organized by the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA), scheduled to start from Galle today, to exhort the government to sort out the crisis in country’s education sector.

STSU General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe says, in a media release, that the teachers must join in force and extend their fullest support to the FUTA march from today (24) to September 28 from Galle to Colombo. Eighty days have lapsed since FUTA launched its trade union action demanding that the government allocate six percent of the GDP for the education sector, to depoliticise the universities and to ensure the participation of the university teachers in education reforms. The government has not responded favourably to these demands, he said.

Jayasinghe said that the demands were aimed at safeguarding State education in Sri Lanka and to ensure the rights to free education. "We request all teachers, principals and any party or persons, who support free education, to display their solidarity with university teachers and join the march," he said.

The march starts at 8.00 a.m. from Galle today and will proceed upto Ambalangoda. It resumes at 8.00 a.m. on September 25, 26, 27 and 28 from the towns of Amabalangoda, Aluthgama, Kalutara and Moratuwa. It is scheduled to reach Colombo next Friday evening (28).