University administration to hold meeting with DIG

Moratuwa University clash

January 27, 2013, 10:34 pm , the island

Three student suspects face identification parade today

By Dasun Edirisinghe

Three students, following the National Diploma in Technology (NDT) at the Moratuwa University, who were arrested over the January 16 attack on engineering undergraduates, will be produced before an identification parade at the Moratuwa Magistrate’s Court today (28).

Inspector Chammika Sampath, of the Moratuwa Police, told The Island that

four NDT students were arrested in connection with the clash, but one had been released on bail last week.He said that they recorded statements from lecturers, university security officials and students.

A group of NDT students brutally assaulted a group of undergraduates at an engineering hostel on January 16 in return to the previous week’s clash between the two groups fillowing a minor argument over a motor cycle accident.

The engineering faculty and the Institute of Technology were closed indefinitely on the following day by the university administration to prevent further clashes.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardena said that the university administration would hold a special meeting with DIG, Colombo South Range today (28) to discuss the security arrangements to prevent further clashes.

He said that the investigation into the clashes, launched by the disciplinary committee, headed by a retired judge, had still not concluded its probe.

"We will not re-open the university for the two groups of students following engineering and NDT courses until the inquiry is over," Prof. Jayawardena said.

Early admissions to universities mooted

January 27, 2013, 10:32 pm , the island


By Dasun Edirisinghe

The Higher Education Ministry will hold discussions soon with a view to reducing the age of admission to universities. The Ministry’s is to minimize the unnecessary waste of students’ time after national examinations.

Secretary to the Ministry Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne said that the world standard was 12 years of school education to enter universities, but in Sri Lanka it was a minimum of 13 years.

He said that the students had to spend an additional year in the GCE (Advanced Level) class, according to Sri Lanka’s education system.

After GCE (A/L) examination too, students had to wait almost one year to enter university, if selected.

Sri Lankan students thus wasted about three years between Grade One and the university, Dr. Navaratne said adding that it had resulted in students having to study in universities until they reached their mid twenties.

He said that in most other countries students graduated from the university by the age of 22.

If the waste of time could be reduced, Sri Lankan students could enter universities at least by the age of 18, the secretary said, adding that in Japan there was only one national level examination and students enter universities based on its results.

"We received several requests from parents, intellectuals and several stakeholders in the education sector to reduce the age of admission to universities," Dr. Navaratne said, adding that following those requests his ministry would initiate a discussion.

This was not an easy task that could be completed overnight and the Higher Education Ministry itself could not achieve it alone either, he said.