FUTA action ends to be resumed if promises not kept

By Hansani Bandara, SundayTimes

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The 100-day long trade union action by university academics fizzled out on Friday amidst protests of section of the academics, but eventually bringing relief to students and parents.�There was disappointment among sections of the academics as they failed to gain clear commitments on the demands of the Federation of the University Teachers Association (FUTA).

The two news conferences held yesterday: One convened by the Govt. and the other by FUTA. Pix by Mangala Weerasekera

University of Moratuwa FUTA branch President Dr. Rangika Halwathura said that even though an agreement was made to halt the trade union action, the majority of the membership is disappointed in the obdurate stand of the Government on the demands.

“None of the universities frankly wanted to conclude their trade union action but now we have come to the distressing realization that nothing can be gained from this Government and since there is no point on carrying out trade union action on a lost cause, we are concluding it,” he said.

He that the majority at the executive committee meeting rejected the two letters given by Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundara regarding the solutions to the issues raised.

He said in one way FUTA has achieved victory as it has been able to create a dialogue in the country on the issues of education where 6 per cent of the GDP should be set apart for education became a common slogan among the general public.

He further added that the struggle to save State education will continue even though the trade union action was halted and the strike will be resumed again if the given promises are not kept.

The trade union action which was carried out by FUTA came to a conclusion of Friday as both FUTA and the Government came to a mutual agreement on the former’s demands.

The strike continued for almost 100 days since it began on July 4 crippling the functioning of 14 State universities island-wide.

After the consideration of six demands of FUTA which were categorized under enhancing recruitment and retention of highly qualified academics and safeguarding and uplifting State education, FUTA has been issued two letters with regards to salary increments and a promise to increase the budgetary allocation for education.

These letters were issued by Dr. Jayasundara and Minister Basil Rajapaksa respectively, said Dr. FUTA Secretary Terrance Madujith.

He added the academics were presented a proposal by which a medium term salary scheme is to be implemented with effect from the 2013 Budget through a period of five years. �He also said that in Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s letter, it is mentioned that the budgetary allocation on education will be increased but a time frame as to how it will be implemented has not been given by the Government.

However the Sunday Times learns the majority of the sister unions in FUTA believe these two letters are unacceptable but they are compelled to suspend trade union action due to financial difficulties undergone by the membership and inconveniences undergone by the students due to disrupted academic activities.

Meanwhile, FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri said on the plus side, the negotiations carried out prove that the struggle carried out by FUTA to save State education and the FUTA demands are justified.

He added there are unfinished discussions among the membership within FUTA on whether or not the documents issued by the Government are acceptable or whether to reconsider trade union action.

He also said it is a victory for FUTA that the association has been able to create a dialogue about these issues in society helping to bring the attention of the relevant authorities to these issues.

Adding that university academics will participate in paper marking of the Advanced Level examination scripts commencing from tomorrow, he said university dons will work hard to revive the university system.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa said the responsibility for the disruption caused by this issue to the proper functioning of the university has to be borne by all the stakeholders to the issue. He added the Government has agreed to increase the percentage of GDP allocation for education and pay the salary arrears to the academics.

Universities in race to catch up with missed lectures

By Hansani Bandara, SundayTimes

Semester extended, extra classes held, new lecture rooms to accommodate more students

Extra classes and semester extensions are among the measures university authorities are adopting to overcome the backlog of academic activities – a result of the three-month-long academics’ strike which ended last week.�But, students said these moves had put them under pressure for no fault of theirs.

Back to university after three months: Kelaniya students share a light moment. Pix by Mangala Weerasekera

“Three months were an utter waste. We couldn’t join even a private course because we weren’t sure when the universities will be opened again. Now the administration has taken a decision to extend the semester by three months.
This means that the degree will be delivered with a three month’s delay,” said C. L. Edirisooriya, a science faculty student at the University of Kelaniya.
Endorsing his views, Thisarani Jayasinghe, another student from the same faculty, said it was the students who suffered the most from the dispute between the academics and the authorities. However, she said she was happy that the university system was back to normal with lectures being held without any disruptions.
Jayewardenepura University’s management faculty student Tharini de Silva said students were forced to learn six months of work in three months.�But vice chancellors said these new measures were being taken to ensure the smooth functioning of universities and they were careful not to cause hardship to the students.
Rajarata University Vice Chancellor K. A. Nandasena said lecturers from the four of the five faculties in his university joined the strike and at a meeting with the deans of all the faculties, a decision was taken to conduct extra classes to cover the missed lectures. He assured these extra classes would be held without harming the qualitative aspect of the course.
Prof. Nandasena said the strike started just prior to the management faculty examinations and moves were underway to conduct the exams as early as possible.
Covering the missed lectures is not the only problem the universities face. Adding to their problems is the extra intake of new students following the Supreme Court ruling in the case over Z-score disputes.�Prof. Nandasena said the extra intake of students meant extra expenditure for the universities. The university had worked out the extra costs and sought more funds from authorities.

Jayawardenapura University Vice Chancellor N. L. A. Karunaratna said his university would also conduct extra classes to cover the syllabus without burdening the students with extra work or adding to their pressure. Asked about the extra intake, he said his university was prepared to handle it as it was not the first time when universities had been asked to accommodate more students.
He said the request to take in more students was an opportunity for university authorities to show they were capable of facing challenges.�University officials said they were building temporary lecture rooms and renovating existing facilities to accommodate the extra students and Peradeniya University Vice Chancellor Athula Senarathne said that with the semester extended, academic were going on without any hindrance. He said some buildings and facilities were being renovated and extended to accommodate the extra students.