University dons to stage token strike on June 03

May 14, 2014, 11:03 pm , The Island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

University teachers are scheduled to stage a token strike on June 03 against the Higher Education Ministry’s failure to provide solutions to their problems based on the agreement they entered into with the ministry in 2012 and the suppression of students.

Executive Committee member of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri told The Island that the ministry had offered to grant them a research allowance as a solution to salary increments, but it was audited.

"If the research allowance is part of the salary how can it be audited?," he asked.

Dr. Dewasiri said that they had raised the issue at a meeting with officials of the Higher Education Ministry and University Grants Commission (UGC), where it was agreed that the research allowance should not be audited, but that promise had not been honoured.

The senior academic said at several universities like Sri Jayewardenepura and Rajarata were harassing students and the FUTA demanded an end to such undemocratic action.

Several undergraduates had been suspended without proper inquiries or valid reasons, Dr. Dewasiri said, adding that undergraduates had launched protests.

"We will inform of our token strike to the ministry shortly and the letter has already been drafted", he said.