University teachers to strike

June 14, 2012, 10:24 pm

By Maheesha Mudugamuwa, the island

University teachers have decided to launch a continuous strike from July 4 in protest against the government’s failure to solve their problems.

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) president Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri yesterday said that they had informed Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayaka of their decision in writing with a copy to the Presidential Secretariat as well.

Addressing a press conference at the National Library Auditorium Dr. Dewasiri said that the decision to strike had been taken due to the government’s failure to solve university teachers’ problem. They had informed the Higher Education Ministry on several occasions of their demands but to no avail, he said. President Mahinda Rajapaksa had reneged on his promise in Budget 2012 to give the academics a pay hike.

Dr. Devasiri said, adding that they had requested the higher education ministry to consult them when it amended and drafted laws pertaining to higher education.

"The ministry agreed, but it has consulted us on any such matter," the FUTAchief said.

The FUTA demands include a pay hike, increasing funds allocated to education to 6 percent of the GDP, freeing universities from politicisation and granting facilities to admit children of the university teachers to schools.