SB ends up with egg on face

January 12, 2012, 9:58 pm , The Island

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake hadn’t even briefed the Cabinet about his controversial Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Qualification Frame Bill, aimed at regulating ‘private universities’, in spite of publicly vowing to present it in parliament, political sources told The Island.

The failure on the part of Minister Dissanayake to discuss such a critical issue with his Cabinet colleagues before making public pronouncements was pointed out during Wednesday’s Cabinet meet chaired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Asked whether the government had succumbed to protests launched by the University community and the Opposition, ministerial sources emphasized that the issue had never been discussed. A minister pointed out the absurdity in the Cabinet not taking up the issue, whereas the entire country was talking about it.

Minister Dissanayake was in Jaffna to meet the Jaffna University community. Ministers remarked that universities were on fire, while the Higher Education Minister was touring Jaffna.

Sources alleged that Dissanayake’s private university project couldn’t be allowed at the expense of the SLFP-led coalition. Asked whether the government was likely to take up the contentious issue, sources said that it would be a grave mistake on the part of the UPFA to give a rallying point for those agitating against the administration.

In spite of recent break-up of the JVP, its student arm, the IUSF (Inter University Students Federation) is engaged in a major campaign against Dissanayake’s move, with the rebel group spearheading the initiative.