FUTA resents ‘politically motivated sacking’
May 12, 2013, 9:56 pm
by Dasun Edirisinghe, The Island
The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) is up in arms against the sacking of a probationary lecturer of the Sri Jayewardenepura University, which they claimed was politically motivated.
FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri said that the Council of the Sri Jayewardenepura University had decided on Thursday to sack probationary lecturer Anuruddha Pradeep as he had not completed his masters examinations.
Dr. Dewasiri said that Pradeep had been working at the Political Science Department of the University for the last eight years.
"According to the law, probationary lecturers would have to complete the masters within eight years, but it has not happened," he said, adding that the sacking was totally due to political reasons as Pradeep has been critical of Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake’s policies.
Dr. Dewasiris, however, said if a probationary lecturer did not complete the masters within eight years they would first be made temporary lecturers, but the Jayewardenepura administration had decided to sack Pradeep straightaway.
Dr. Dewasiri said that a current Vice Chancellor of a university had not completed his masters for nearly 15 years, but the respective university had not sacked him. As a result he had become a Vice Chancellor. He said two months ago, the Sri Jayewardenepura administration had also sacked senior Professors Senevi Epitawaththa and Jinadasa Katupotha, just eight months prior to their retirement.
This was another unique example of politicising state universities under the present higher education minister, Dr. Dewasiri said.
"FUTA executive committee would meet this week to decide on a course of action against this political victimization," Dr. Dewasiri said.
When contacted by The Island, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne denied accusations that the ministry was involved in removing university lecturers.
He said that if such things happened it was totally up to the university council and the ministry would not get involved in University Council decisions.
The Island made several unsuccessful attempts to contact Vice Chancellor of the Jayawardenepura University Prof. N. L. A. Karunaratne.
