UGC seeks SC approval to adjust student selection

January 30, 2013, 10:38 pm

by Chitra Weeraratne,the island

The University Grants Commission (UGC) yesterday filed papers in the Supreme Court seeking a slight adjustment to the selection of students for practical/aptitude tests, to determine their eligibility to be admitted to the University for the Academic year 2011/2012.

The Supreme Court, on Sept. 12, 20012, ordered the UGC to admit 5,609 students in addition to the normal intake of 21,500. The formula approved by the Supreme Court for the selection of students, suggested the holding of practical/aptitude tests for the subjects for which such tests had been held for the past five years.

However, subsequently, the UGC realised that in some districts, only a few students had obtained the pass marks to be called for the practical, aptitude tests.

The UGC sought the permission of the Court to take students from other districts to make up for the shortage to meet the legal requirement of 5,609 admissions for the academic year, 2011/2012.

The petition filed by instructing Attorney-at-law Gowri Thevarasa will be called before the Court, shortly.

The original fundamental rights violation application in respect of University Admissions was filed by a group of students, making the Commissioner General of Examination and the UGC respondents.

Academics welcome reduction of university admission age

January 28, 2013, 10:08 pm ,the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

 Several academics yesterday welcomed Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake’s recent proposal to reduce the age of admissions to universities to 16.

President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri told The Island that it was very important to reduce it to at least 17 years.

However, Dr. Dewasiri said it was not the FUTA’s view, but his personal opinion.

"Our students waste several years in school before entering universities," he said adding that it should be reduced by several years.

Dr. Dewasiri said that students completed their postgraduate degrees by the age of 25 even in India whereas in Sri Lanka by the time a first degree was completed students were around that age.

Former Vice Chancellor of the Peradeniya University Prof. Sarath B. S. Abeykoon said that considering the present state, school education in Sri Lanka was a topic that should be thoroughly discussed as the system certainly needed a complete overhaul.

He said that the total length of schooling in Sri Lanka was, (whether one includes the time spent at Universities or not) in comparison, higher than that of many developed countries.

"This results in our population joining the work force later than those in the developed world, thus effectively reducing the total output of the country, as we are continually losing the best productive years of our youth," Prof. Abeykoon said.

Prof. Abeykoon said "I believe there is an urgent need to adequately address the time period of schooling, at the present time."

Minister Dissanayake said at a recent function that the Higher Education Ministry would hold discussions soon with a view to reducing the age of admission to universities by minimising the unnecessary waste of students’ time after national examinations.

Secretary to the Ministry Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne said that they would initiate a dialogue soon to do so.

Sri Lankan students thus wasted about three years between Grade One and the university, Dr. Navaratne said adding that it had resulted in students having to study in universities until they reached their mid twenties.

He said that in most other countries students graduated from the university by the age of 22.

If the waste of time could be reduced, Sri Lankan students could enter universities at least by the age of 18, Dr. Navaratne said, adding that in Japan there was only one national level examination and students enter universities based on its results.

However, Frontline Socialist Party led Inter University Students’ Federation said that according to the present system, the students would graduate from universities at 23 or 24, but there were several reasons for the delay.

IUSF Convener Sanjeewa Bandara said that students who enter Grade 01 at the age of five would enter a university at the age of 19. It was mainly due to government’s bungling.

Citing an example, he said, the university intake based on the 2011 GCE (A/L) results was yet to be completed due to the Z–score fiasco.

"Some student batches have to spend over 6 years sometime due to closure of universities or lack of facilities," Bandara claimed.

He said that it was a joke to talk about reducing the age for university admission by a minister who failed to resolve the present problems in the system.

University administration to hold meeting with DIG

Moratuwa University clash

January 27, 2013, 10:34 pm , the island

Three student suspects face identification parade today

By Dasun Edirisinghe

Three students, following the National Diploma in Technology (NDT) at the Moratuwa University, who were arrested over the January 16 attack on engineering undergraduates, will be produced before an identification parade at the Moratuwa Magistrate’s Court today (28).

Inspector Chammika Sampath, of the Moratuwa Police, told The Island that

four NDT students were arrested in connection with the clash, but one had been released on bail last week.He said that they recorded statements from lecturers, university security officials and students.

A group of NDT students brutally assaulted a group of undergraduates at an engineering hostel on January 16 in return to the previous week’s clash between the two groups fillowing a minor argument over a motor cycle accident.

The engineering faculty and the Institute of Technology were closed indefinitely on the following day by the university administration to prevent further clashes.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardena said that the university administration would hold a special meeting with DIG, Colombo South Range today (28) to discuss the security arrangements to prevent further clashes.

He said that the investigation into the clashes, launched by the disciplinary committee, headed by a retired judge, had still not concluded its probe.

"We will not re-open the university for the two groups of students following engineering and NDT courses until the inquiry is over," Prof. Jayawardena said.

Early admissions to universities mooted

January 27, 2013, 10:32 pm , the island


By Dasun Edirisinghe

The Higher Education Ministry will hold discussions soon with a view to reducing the age of admission to universities. The Ministry’s is to minimize the unnecessary waste of students’ time after national examinations.

Secretary to the Ministry Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne said that the world standard was 12 years of school education to enter universities, but in Sri Lanka it was a minimum of 13 years.

He said that the students had to spend an additional year in the GCE (Advanced Level) class, according to Sri Lanka’s education system.

After GCE (A/L) examination too, students had to wait almost one year to enter university, if selected.

Sri Lankan students thus wasted about three years between Grade One and the university, Dr. Navaratne said adding that it had resulted in students having to study in universities until they reached their mid twenties.

He said that in most other countries students graduated from the university by the age of 22.

If the waste of time could be reduced, Sri Lankan students could enter universities at least by the age of 18, the secretary said, adding that in Japan there was only one national level examination and students enter universities based on its results.

"We received several requests from parents, intellectuals and several stakeholders in the education sector to reduce the age of admission to universities," Dr. Navaratne said, adding that following those requests his ministry would initiate a discussion.

This was not an easy task that could be completed overnight and the Higher Education Ministry itself could not achieve it alone either, he said.

Shanika first woman UGC head

January 24, 2013, 10:18 pm , the island

by Nilantha Madurawela

Professor Shanika Hirimburegama was appointed as the new Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. She is the first woman to be appointed to this post.

She is currently Vice Chancellor of the Colombo University.

She will assume duties as the new head of the UGC when the incumbent UGC Chairman Professor Gamini Samaranayake retires at the end of this month.

Permanent separation, answer to perennial clashes at Moratuwa Uni.

Separate institution for NDT students under  a separate Act - VCThree arrested students to be produced at identification parade - PoliceWe will boycott examinations until authorities ensure security  - engineering students
Despite IT being relocated, should be affiliated to Moratuwa Uni.  - NDT students 

January 23, 2013, 12:00 pm , the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

The Engineering Faculty and the Institute of Technology of the Moratuwa University being closed indefinitely a week ago following another clash between the engineering undergraduates and the National Diploma in Technology (NDT) students has been a problem that has been going on for many years. The solution to the perennial problem appears to be in shifting the IT to another location as early as possible. A location has already been identified at Homagama, but the problem is the shortage of funds to build the necessary infrastructure.

The second clash and closure for the year came a few days after re-opening of the Engineering Faculty for final year engineering undergraduates and the Institute of Technology for all NDT students a week later.

Residents of the area said that although both student factions were the cream of the GCE (Advanced Level) mathematics stream, yet every year they clashed with each other which caused disruption not only to their education, but also to the community surrounding the University.

After bloody clashes, each year, both sides point the finger at each other for starting the violence. This time too, both student factions blamed each other and several elements including political parties, engineering community, intellectuals express their views in support of either side.

President of the Engineering Faculty Students’ Union, Maduka Sampath Chandrasiri told The Island their students engrossed in studies targeting final year examinations that were being held at the time of the closure of the faculty.

He charged that the NDT students wanted to sabotage the examination of the engineering faculty students.

"This is not a fresh battle, this is coming from a long time ago and we always become victims always," Chandrasiri said.

He said that this time too, four engineering undergraduates had to be hospitalised and one of them with serious brain injuries is being treated at the Colombo National Hospital.

Chandrasiri said that the university administration would have to ensure their security before re-opening the faculty.

He said that their union decided to boycott the examinations until authorities ensured enough security for engineering students.

"We discussed the situation with the Dean of the Engineering Faculty and the Vice Chancellor," Chandrasiri said adding that they would co-operate with the university administration to create a peaceful environment in the university.

However, Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake blamed the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) for instigating NDT students to create trouble.

He said that the JVP breakaway faction, the FSP was now creating trouble in universities now, while and the Higher Education Ministry was working to stop all kinds of violence prevalent in universities.

"We are working according to the country’s laws and there was no room for anyone to violate those using undergraduates," Dissanayake said.

 Rejecting Minister Dissanayake’s assertions, FSP Propaganda Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda blamed the Minister and the Vice Chancellor of the university for being responsible for the recent clash.

"The university administration and the police simply failed to intervene appropriately to prevent the clashes," he said.

Jayagoda said that they did not need to take any side, engineering or NDT, but anyone has the right to engage in politics in universities.

Spokesman of the NDT Students’ Union Raveendra Ratnayake said that they were against relocating their institute without adequate facilities, including laboratories at the new location.

He said that even if the Institute of Technology was relocated elsewhere they wanted it to continue as an affiliated institution of the Moratuwa University.

"Our course was started first in these premises before the university came into being," Ratnayake said.

He said that under the provisions of the University Act No 01 of 1972, the University of Ceylon was established in 1972, incorporating all the existing universities and the Ceylon College of Technology as campuses of a single university.

Explaining the historical developments over the years, Ratnayake said the Ceylon College of Technology thus became the Katubedda Campus of the University of Ceylon.

Further changes in the corporate structure and composition were effected by the Universities Act No.16 of 1978. Under the Act, the Katubedda Campus of the University of Sri Lanka acquired the status of an independent University with its present corporate name ‘University of Moratuwa.

"If the authorities provided all the facilities and relocate our unit as an affiliated body of the Moratuwa University, we are ready to move out without unnecessary fighting," Ratnayake said.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardena said that the authorities decided to establish a separate institution for the NDT student outside the university under a separate Act as a solution to the problem.

For this purpose, a committee appointed in 2000 made their recommendations which were scheduled to be carried out within five years, he said.

Prof. Jayawardena said that the delay was due to lack of land to build the new institution.

"However, we got a 20 acre land for the purpose a few years ago at Diyagama, Homagama," he said adding that now it was being delaying due to lack of funds.

According to Prof. Jayawardena, the estimated cost of the project was US$ 89.5 million and an agreement was signed with a Chinese company for its construction in January 2012.

Meanwhile, he said that they appointed a retired judge to head the disciplinary committee to probe both clashes that took place between the two groups in the university this year and the police would conduct a separate investigation.

The Moratuwa Police said that so far four NDT students had been arrested in connection with the latest attack and three of them had been remanded till January 28, while one student had been released on bail.

"We will produce three remanded students at an identification parade on Jan. 28," Inspector Chammika Sampath told The Island.

IP Chammika said that the police had recorded statements from 33 students and 11 security officers so far and they would record statements of lecturers too.

He said that the police were on the lookout for more students on the basis of evidence recorded from various parties.

Meanwhile, the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) condemned the deplorable act of unprovoked, planned violence unleashed on the students of the country’s premier Engineering Faculty.

IESL President Eng. Tilak de Silva said that most of undergraduates were studying for their final year examinations on the night of the brutal and inhumane attack.

He said that those students were the cream of the GCE (A/L) mathematics stream, a national asset on which the nation has invested time and money.

"As the premier engineering professional body, we have the responsibility to safeguard the engineering profession and engineering education in Sri Lanka," de Silva said.

The IESL request the authorities at all levels to bring the culprits to justice and set an example to halt such destructive and inhumane culture that is engulfing the society, he said.

pic

Moratuwa University (File Photo)

Non-academics on warpath again

January 20, 2013, 10:32 pm , the island

University non-academics are back on the warpath as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Salaries and Cadre Commission (NSCC) have failed to issue the circulars rectifying the anomalies in their salaries.

Spokesman for the Inter University Trade Union Joint Committee Wijayathilaka Jayasinghe told The Island that their executive committee would meet this week to decide their future course of action.

He said that when they struck in May 2012 the university authorities promised to issue the relevant circulars, but six months have passed and they have still not been issued.

"The UGC and NSCC did not accept our proposal to rectify the salary anomalies, but they promised a structure made by them," Jayasinghe said adding that now they were refusing to honour their promise.

He said that they were ready to discuss the issue with any government official, but did not get an appointment.

University non-academic staff, including administrative officers, have been agitating for several years demanding rectification of salary anomalies but had been cheated by successive governments, Jayasinghe said.

The Island made several attempts to contact Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne for comment, but they were of no avail.

Two sections of Moratuwa Uni. closed after fresh clash

January 17, 2013, 12:00 pm , the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

 The Engineering Faculty and the Institute of Technology, of the Moratuwa University were once again closed indefinitely yesterday following a fresh clash between students of the two divisions on Wednesday night.

University sources said that four students had been hospitalized, after the clash and two of them were discharged after treatment.

Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Ananda Jayawardena told The Island that of the two still in hospital, one was warded at the Colombo National Hospital and the other at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila, he said.

The Engineering Faculty and Institute of Technology were closed on Jan. 02 after a clash and re-opened a week later to hold examinations. The Engineering faculty was re-opened only for final year students.

Prof. Jayawardena said that the cause of the latest clash was also an argument following a minor accident similar to that of two weeks back.

"We declared the university premises and hostels out of bounds for students of the Engineering Faculty and those following the National Diploma in Technology, to prevent further incidents," he said.

Prof. Jayawardena said that an inquiry into the previous incident was yet to conclude and a fresh inquiry would be held into Wednesday night’s incident.

However, the Engineering students claimed that around 40 NDT students had attacked them with clubs and iron bars at the male hostel.

The spokesman for the NDT students association told The Island that the dispute was a long-standing one as the Engineering students wanted the Institute of Technology moved out of the university.

Both sides had lodged complaints with the university administration and the police over the incidents.

The organisation for Equal Rights launched a signature campaign, at the Lion’s Auditorium, in Rajagiriya, to demand the release of four Jaffna University students held in detention. President of Inter University Students Federation signs the petition.

Pic by Kamal Bogoda, the island

Cops fail to stop protesting U’grads storming Matara town

* Students protest against attack on Union president

January 17, 2013, 10:28 pm , The Island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

All efforts by the police, to stop protesting Ruhuna university undergraduates from entering the Matara town yesterday, were unsuccessful.

Angry undergraduates caused chaos in the Matara town and refused to put down a dummy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

They marched in protest against Wednesday night’s assault of the student union president by an unidentified gang.

Convener of the Inter University Students’ Federation Sanjeewa Bandara told The Island that the resident of the Students’ Council Harsha Gunawardena was brutally assaulted, at the entrance of Venura Edirisinghe Hostel in Welewatta, by an unidentified gang which had arrived in a black defender jeep.

"Our member is still warded at the Matara General Hospital," Bandara said.

He alleged that they have evidence to prove the attackers were government sponsored thugs.

This is not the first attempt to attack anti – government students, Bandara said adding that on several occasions, in recent months, their members had been harassed near the Eliyakanda Hostel in Matara.

Bandara said that undergraduates of the Rajarata University too, protested opposite the university against the assault of their counterpart in Ruhuna.

"We will protest opposite all universities today against the attacks on student leaders by government sponsored thugs," Bandara said.

Vice Chancellor of the University Prof. Susirith Mendis said that a student was hospitalised with minor injuries and the university was conducting an investigation into the attack on a student at the hostel.

However, he said that the university administration would not justify politically motivated demonstrations or protest marches.

Matara police are also conducting a separate inquiry into the incident.

Moratuwa Eng. Faculty, Tech. Institute reopen after clash

January 11, 2013, 11:32 pm

By Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

 The Engineering Faculty and Institute of Technology of the Moratuwa University reopened on Wednesday after being closed last week, following a clash between students of the two divisions.

However, Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardena told The Island that the Engineering Faculty opened only for its final year students.

"We will open the faculty for all students next week," he said.

Prof. Jayawardena said that the situation was back under control, but the investigation was still continuing.

"We opened the faculty for final year students of the Engineering faculty first as examinations are on," he said adding the Institute of Technology opened for all students.The university premises and hostels were declared out of bounds for students attached to the Engineering faculty and Technology Institute to prevent further clashes after last week’s clash.

Eight students of the Engineering faculty and one National Diploma in Technology (NDT) student were hospitalized after the clash, which erupted in the university premises following an argument over a minor accident.

 

Peradeniya increases intake by 760

January 8, 2013, 9:29 pm , the island

By Cyril Wimlasurendre

KANDY – The University of Peradeniya had increased the intake of new students this year by 760. This number is in addition to the usual 2,500 new entrants, Vice Chancellor Professor Athula Senaratne said.

The additional 760 students would be taken, in complying with the Supreme Court order, issued following the 2011 Z-score calculation fiasco, according to Professor Senaratne.

The new term for the freshers will begin in March this year.

He told a media conference that a number of welfare programmes for the new entrants had been designed with the cooperation of the students council of the University.

No more ragging at Peradeniya - VC

January 6, 2013, 11:07 pm ,The Island

By Cyril Wimalasurendre

KANDY – There would be no more-ragging in the Peradeniya University from the beginning of the new term for the freshers, assured its vice chancellor, Professor Athula Senaratne on Saturday.

Addressing a media conference Prof. Senaratne said that the decision to do away with ragging was taken with the agreement of the students unions of the university.

The union leadership also agreed with the proposal to refrain from ragging new-comers in order to prevent hardship to the new-comers and also to prevent the discredit brought to the prestigious university, the vice-chancellor added.

Should Tamils be Loyal Sri Lankans?

By Prof S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole, sundayleader

It is important for Sri Lankans to see that Jaffna attack in the context of an indeciplined military

Minorities are easy targets in a Sinhalese polity believing that no one else belongs. As Tisaranee Gunasekara has noted, UPFA ministers have attacked the Chief Justice for having Tamil lawyers – although Neelakandan voted for the BASL resolution against the Ban Ki Moon Report, it did not help him.

Thrishantha Nanayakkara has drawn our attention to an ITN programme where Minister Wimal Weerawansa makes much of the Court of Appeal bench ruling on the CJ matter consisting of two Tamils and a Muslim (whereas it really had one of each community, including a Sinhalese).

The Muslims too are caught up as hate campaigns are launched against halal food (ignoring that the rest of us have Poya food imposed on us by closing meat stalls on full moon days) and Muslims being successful at Law College entrance exams (ignoring that Muslims have preserved multilingualism, giving them an edge in English medium exams and those requiring wide reading).

Jaffna University

As Jaffna University is attacked and Douglas Devananda’s appointees manage it, the President has complained privately that Douglas with his thuggery is costing him support and he is looking for other Tamils to join him. The President is play-acting: his brothers speak against the 13th Amendment in general; he for it in India; and Douglas for it among Tamils. They are as thick as thieves and cannot afford to let go of each other because of each other’s dark secrets they carry.

Unfortunately some Tamils believe this charade. When Douglas’ VC was caught between army orders to reopen the university and adamant students who refused to resume classes before their arrested colleagues are released, she was desperate as her reputation among Tamils sank low. Believing that Douglas had lost clout, it was to the SLFP’s Jaffna organizer Angajan Ramanathan and Mr. Ramachandran (I believe from Germany) who runs ‘Tamil Buddhists’ that she turned. The meeting they arranged through Gotabaya with Jaffna Commander Hathurusinghe resulted only in her eating his Palahaarams (viands) as noted last week.
By-passed, an angry Douglas issued orders at his Pre-Council Meeting. At Saturday 29th University Council his appointees thundered: “Douglas can deliver. You should have called an emergency meeting.” Douglas then attended a meeting on Thursday with the Minister for Higher Education where the VC was asked to reopen after Thaipongal and bring the arrestees’ parents to Douglas who would ask his friend the President to release them. Will the President countermand his brother Gotabaya for Douglas? Is it a game to enhance Douglas?

Giving hope that Sri Lanka is still a viable nation, southern students Wednesday distributed posters in Colombo in support of their Jaffna colleagues, even as the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations planned a delegation of 20-30 members at January’s end to Jaffna, joined by the Inter-University Student Federation. As I feared that the government may use the IUSF presence to launch another attack, the IUSF president Sanjeeva Bandara himself was attacked in Kelaniya on the 30th. He has blamed the army.

Tamils Helpless

In the meantime Tamils without access to the law and order machinery or to the administrative apparatus in a Sinhalese state, continue to suffer. Bishop Rayappu Joseph of Mannar was questioned by the CID in an attempt to silence outspoken Tamils. Thuwarakeswaran, the brother of UNP MP Maheswaran who was shot dead in Colombo, had acid thrown on him at the Nallur Temple. Uthayan reports that in his police complaint he has identified the assailant as Governor G. A. Chandrasiri’s personal secretary and former military officer Jayakody who had fled the scene with four others and stated that Jayakody had been following him. The poor terrified fellow is in hiding.

Striking terror among Tamils, four-year-old Surendren Sudanththini was raped and her body recovered on the 28th from a well in Mandaithivu, controlled by Douglas and the Navy. Elsewhere, Dr E. Shivashankar, who went with a Tamil girl tricked into the army and her parents from Kilinochchi (Rudrapuram) after her OL exam, was detained on a certificate declaring the doctor insane! ENT Surgeon Dr Thirumaaran, who earlier had his arm slashed, has fled Jaffna.

Today as schools reopened there are reports that soldiers will compulsorily teach Sinhalese to Tamils in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. TNA MP Sritharan has questioned how Grade 6 qualified soldiers can teach. Education officials ran away from reporters pleading ignorance. The gimmick was sanctioned by a Presidential Working Group.

Paranoid Government

A young man, who placed flowers on his mother’s grave in Northeast Jaffna on Dec. 26, the anniversary of her perishing in the tsunami, was arrested, accusing him of celebrating the LTTE although it was December not November. I was invited to a Christmas party by Tamils from Windsor Canada and Detroit Michigan. As the meeting began a person suddenly called for 2 minutes’ silence for all who had died in May 2009. I saw no harm. Of the 70,000 estimated to have been killed by government forces in the UN Petrie Report, there were hardly 10,000 LTTE, the majority being children and the uncommitted forced to bear arms. It can therefore be safely surmised that most of the 70,000 killed by our army (whether in cold blood or by asking them to shelter in protected areas and then bombing them) were innocents. Those standing up continued to talk and were disengaged as at Tamil functions.

A general attack on Tamil university students by the army is, in my mind, as absurd as if the Canadian Government had decided to bomb that hall where we stood up to commemorate the dead in the name of fighting a banned terrorist organization. It is important for Sri Lankans to see that Jaffna attack in the context of a berserk military continuing its genocide.

Brigadier Ravi Ratnasingam

Ravi Ratnasingam has received headlines after his visit to North America during Christmas. Reports suddenly allege that he played a part in the massacre of 70,000 as the commander of Vavuniya from 2001.
From Royal College, he is one of few Tamils in the army and had a good reputation – especially in rehabilitation work in the Wanni after the war. His wife is an old girl of CMS Chundikuli and from Somasundaram Avenue. They are both extremely well-liked.

But to a private party thrown to him in New York, Major General Shavendra de Silva who is accused of war crimes flew all the way from Geneva. This association does no good for a Tamil who has helped many people get released from detention.

A pattern is emerging where the army is trying to find scapegoats for its criminal activity. Is the Tamil Ratnasingam being set up to take the fall for de Silva? We see the same thing in Jaffa where Hathurusinghe has suddenly said that about “1,000 ex-LTTE cadres have evaded rehabilitation and are currently engaged in criminal activities in the North.” This runs counter to his statement two years ago that the EPDP is responsible for criminal activities in Jaffna at a time when it was said that with so many checkpoints no robber can move about without army connivance, and he was trying to extricate the army.

Canada

In Canada for Christmas as Sri Lanka goes downhill, I must confess to second thoughts about having returned home. A few of us who had been happy in Sri Lanka returned. Today many of us have gone abroad again; at least our children have. I am pained for our failed dreams of home.

That pain and regret were underscored when the Rector of St. Paul’s l’Amoreaux in Scarborough, the Rev. Canon Dean Mercer, before pronouncing the benediction at the Tamil New Year Service conducted by Jaffna’s Rev. Isaac Selvaratnam and Batticaloa’s Mr. Vivekanandan, said this:

“The Canadian tradition at New Year was to make merry. After Tamils and West Indians came, I am glad it is now to be present in the House of God as the New Year dawns.”

Our talents and culture, so rudely rejected in Sri Lanka, are welcomed and used with appreciation, making me ask “Where is home?”

Start lectures or face closure: SB tells Jaffna Uni.

SundayTimes

By Chris Kamalendran
Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake warned that the Jaffna University would be closed if academic activities did not recommence tomorrow. “I have told the university authorities that, willingly or unwillingly, we will have to close the university, even for one year, if campus activities are not normalised,” Mr Dissanayake told the Sunday Times.

The Minister on Thursday met the university’s� Vice Chancellor (VC) Vasanthy Arasaratnam and Deans of the Faculties, and directed them to resume academic activities. However, they pointed out that, though they were ready to resume lectures, students were not attending.

Students have vowed to boycott lectures until four students including the secretary of the students union, who were arrested and sent to Welikanda camp for rehabilitation recently, are released. The VC had explained that the offices were functioning, but students have kept away citing lack of security in addition to demanding the release of the students. Students claim that they may be arrested if they return for lectures.

Minister Dissanayake had reportedly told the authorities that students should return for lectures and the matter of the release of the students would be decided by the Defence Secretary. Mr. Dissanayake said the students security concerns wouldhave to be taken up with relevant authorities.

The meeting was attended by Minister Douglas Devananda, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne and Jaffna Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe. Jaffna University Teachers Association President A. Rasakumar told the Sunday Times that, usually, when a person was arrested and sent for rehabilitation, a letter is issued to that effect, which had not been the procedure regarding the four students.

“Majority of the students are worried they� too would face similar situations,” he said adding that the exams have already been delayed due to the previous closure of the university due to the strike by academics, and the Arts Faculty exam is scheduled for January 16.

Meanwhile, the Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA), in a statement, expressed concern about the recent beating, harassment and arrests of students in Jaffna. The FUTA has called on the government to either charge the detained students in court or release them forthwith.

The organisation said of the nine students detained, six have were released, while three remain in custody since December 10.FUTA said it condemns the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to deal with a problem requiring political effort and a political settlement.

Moratuwa University: Re-opening closed sections decision on Monday 

January 4, 2013, 10:18 pm , the island

By Dasun Edirisinghe

The date for re-opening the temporarily closed sections of the Moratuwa University will be decided after a meeting between two the student factions and officials on Monday.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Ananda Jayawardane told The Island that the university’s Engineering Faculty and Institute of Technology had been closed indefinitely following a clash between students of the two institutions on Tuesday night.

The university premises and hostels had also been declared out of bounds for students attached to the Engineering faculty and Technology Institute to prevent further clashes.

Prof. Jayawardane said that the university administration had already launched an inquiry into the incident, in which several students received minor injuries.

There was no damage to property. Those found guilty, by the inquiry, would be punished, he said.

Prof. Jayawardane said however, special lectures conducted by foreign lecturers and projects of the Engineering Faculty and the Institute of Technology would continue as usual although the premises had been declared out of bounds for students.

"The other faculties of the university function as usual," he said.

Two undergrads suspended, three still warded

Ruhunu university clash:

January 4, 2013, 10:06 pm

By Dasun Edirisinghe, the island

The Ruhuna University administration has suspended two undergraduates following the preliminary investigations into Tuesday’s clash between two student factions.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Susirith Mendis told The Island that according to their investigations, those two undergraduates had been directly involved in the clash.

"Both of them were 2nd year students of the Management and Finance Faculty," he said.

Prof. Mendis said that according to the university regulations, they would be served with charge sheets before the second round of the investigations.

He said that three undergraduates injured in the clash were still in the Matara Hospital.The police were conducting a separate inquiry into the incident, Prof. Mendis said, adding that the University administration had also recorded statements from several eyewitnesses, including a lecturer and undergraduates.

Meanwhile, undergraduates staged a protest on Thursday against the suspension of two students.

President of the Students Council Harsha Gunawardena said that they had held a discussion with the Vice Chancellor and other officials after the protest opposite the administration building.

City of universities; my lost dream in Sri Lanka

January 4, 2013, 8:17 pm , the island


by Prof. Chandima Gomes
Head, Centre for Electromagnetic and Lightning Protection Research
Universiti Putra, Malaysia

Cycling from university home through the woods, on a breezy and colourful day in September 1995, in Uppsala Sweden, I was wondering when I could do the same in Sri Lanka; I mean, cycling through a City of University.

Since then I drew up a plan; a mega plan of developing a City of Universities in a beautiful landscape. At that time I did not have the least idea of leaving Sri Lanka for good. Thus, I built up my dream city in Sri Lanka. Just to start with, I thought of the forest patch north of Lunugamvehera reservoir. Then I designed everything for my dream city; from buildings to cycle paths. During the 15 year period from 1995-2010 I visited over 30 countries and on every visit I collected something fruitful from each region and added that into my dream city.

By 2010, I completed the conceptual plan of the City of Universities. However, before I could even self-enjoy my dream, I realized that Sri Lanka is not ready at all for this project. How can one propose a multi-university township in a country where even the phrase "private university" may trigger mass protests, general strikes and even threats of committing suicide?

In the present context, we have no time to waste wrestling over a concept that is well accepted in almost every country other than Sri Lanka. Thus, I had no option but to pack my dream and just witness even countries like Bangladesh racing towards success in the education industry while Sri Lanka is struggling to define words and phrases.

In 2011, in Kathmandu, I met a top brass officer from an African nation with whom I casually discussed this idea over a cup of tea. He was highly excited and asked me to provide him a one-page concept paper. To make a long story short; in February 2013 we will initiate this project in a picturesque landscape in Africa at the foot of snow-capped mountains, with the fullest patronage of the state.

Today, while revisiting my dream in a lazy nap, I thought of inking my plan, that I developed for Sri Lanka for 15 long years, so that one day, someone may be courageous enough to give it serious thought.

A good practice of late Ranasinghe Premada was to baptise any project that comes to his mind with a suitable name even before a line is drawn in that regard. I always used to follow this practice. Thus, first of all I gave my project the name "City of Universities".

Simply the idea was to invite five world class universities to establish their institutions; call it a branch or a campus; in a suitable area in Sri Lanka. The sixth university will be developed by the funding of local and foreign investors with government pumping sizable seed money. This will be a private-state ventured new university in Sri Lanka.

These universities will be built in a new township with all facilities available in any European city, thus, it will be a standalone country within a country. A mechanism is proposed to make it a duty free region, such as, Lankavi resort in Malaysia. The whole idea was to attract students and intellectuals from any part of the world who will enjoy the best luxuries available in Europe or USA at a cost much less than what they spend in those countries.

The universities will be provided with a centralized library, student and staff quarters and a teaching hospital which can be accessed by all universities. A school that offers both international and national curricula is also a need.

To attract scholars from all corners of the world the library could be built as one of the biggest in the world. I proposed a new library concept which I baptised as "Live lib". The idea is to collect several millions of plants, insects, minerals, metals etc,so that when someone is reading on the Brazilian Lily, for instance, he can go to the plant itself and get firsthand experience; may be riding a segway. Such collections may not be possible within couple of years; however, once it is initiated we may get many investors and scholars to use the facility.

To give a chance to local students who cannot afford, I proposed signing an agreement with five foreign universities to provide a 10% quota to local students with partial scholarships. The rest of the expenses of those students could be borne by the government. For the sixth university this quota could be increased to 30%-40%.

To make the city live and also for it to earn its income, I proposed a water theme park and adventure/ amusement park in the vicinity of the lake. Again, going beyond the themes of today’s such parks we can construct a glass hotel in the lake, thus, one can experience the deep lake life while having a coffee in the bedroom. For the project in Africa, I am proposing a caged hotel where animals can visit and watch human beings drinking coffee and staring at them with big wide eyes, just few feet away from them.

To cater the needs of the citizens, a gigantic megamall and a five star hotel are proposed at the city centre. Let’s make even the oddest item in a European mall available there. With cinema halls, opera halls, amphitheatres, art galleries etc. are available there; even locals will flock in masses in the city.

A landscape of about 10,000 hectares; a flat land, possibly bound by a lake from a side was needed to be selected. I just thought of the forest area to the north of Lunugamvehera reservoir with Rathmal Weva in the middle as shown in the diagram. This is a thinly populated forest patch at the moment.

To minimize the environmental effects and cut down fuel cost, a comprehensive cycle path and walkway systems were planned. With heavy parking fees for cars and free parking space for bicycles, one could easily induce the bicycle-culture in the COU. Discounts could also be given for students when they buy bicycles. Year long summers and less rain (than in wet zone) in this area is another blessing for promoting the cycle culture.

A nearby airport and a sea port were important needs for the project. By the time I developed the concept, those were just dreams. But today there is an airport within easy reach to the proposed COU (Mattala airport) and within few tens of kilometres one can reach Hambanthota port. Highways could be implemented from the COU to both ports as well as to other major cities.

In Africa, we are planning a free trade industrial zone back to back with COU. Apart from developing industries, the main focus of this industrial zone is to establish university-industry links.

There were many more features in my dream. Even proper usage (not disposal) of garbage, energy generation for the city by sewage, distributed generation of electricity by various alternative sources, generation and multiplication of jobs for the citizens etc. were in the plan. COU is a country within a country which benefits the entire country.

I am happy that my dream will be coming true somewhere in the world, but I could have been happier if….

Ministers manipulating system for personal agendas – FUTA

Law College entrance controversy

January 4, 2013, 10:07 pm , the island

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Commenting on the controversy over the Law College entrance examination results, the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) yesterday claimed that it was another example of politicians abusing the system.

FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri told The Island that it was unusual that a majority of students from a particular ethnic community had topped the results list of the Law College entrance examination last year, but it could definitely be another deliberate manipulation of the examination system.

Several political parties and civil organizations have been attacking the law entrance results list, on racial grounds, but no one made a fuss when several mal practices in the Sri Lankan examination system during the last few years, he said.

"We have a system that can be easily abused by politicians of the ruling party," Dr. Dewasiri said, adding they used the systems at their disposal to fulfil their personal agendas.

Jaffna University to resume on Jan. 16

 Dailymirror
Academic activities of the Jaffna University will begin on January 16 after a two-month disruption following the arrest and detention of four students by the military, university sources said.

The four students who are detained at a rehabilitation camp in Welikanda had reportedly requested their colleagues to attend lectures stating that the authorities had promised them they would be released soon.

They had conveyed this message to the Deans and Lecturers who had spoken to the students over the phone.

The university Vice Chancellor will meet the Faculty Deans and the Lecturers on January 7 with a view to resuming university activities.

The students have been continuing to boycott lectures after 11 students were arrested in November in the wake of allegedly holding a LTTE commemoration ceremony within the university premises. Seven of the students were released with four of the students still under detention.(Menaka Mookandi and K. Suren)

Protest campaign against military presence in universities today

January 1, 2013, 7:51 pm , The Island

by Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Sri Lanka National Union of Students (SLNUS) will launch a new campaign against alleged military interference in the university premises today (02).

SLNUS Secretary Asanka Bulegoda told The Island that they would start the campaign by distributing leaflets at the Fort Railway Station this morning to educate the public.

He said that the government was continuing its project to militarise the universities and they would stop it at any cost.

"As the first step, the government handed over the university security to the Defence Ministry’s Rakna Lanka Security firm," Bulegoda said adding that undergraduates were seeing the consequences now.

Consequent to deploying the Defence Ministry’s security guards in universities, Army personnel entered the Jaffna University recently and harassed students, he said.

Bulegoda urged the government to put an immediate halt to any further arrests, acts of intimidation, harassment and reprisals carried out by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) of the police and Army against university students.

He stressed that the police presence in the university premises disrupted student activities including cultural programmes, awareness programmes and forming of student unions, which was endorsed by the University Act.

"We will deliver leaflets as our first step of a series of protests," Bulegoda said adding that they were currently discussing with other student unions on launching a collective protest against the militarisation of universities.

According to him, the aim of today’s awareness campaign was to make the public aware of the present situation in the universities with the military presence.

Bulegoda also requested the public to join their agitation to stop the harassment of undergraduates.

Paper leak, tuition, and legislation

January 1, 2013, 6:14 pm , The Island


by Sarath B. S. Abayakoon

The Island editorial of 27th Dec. 2012, on "Of that question paper leak," addresses another important issue that is seriously affecting our education system, in particular, and the governance in general. As I wrote in one of my previous articles, the school education in Sri Lanka is a topic that needs to be thoroughly discussed as the system certainly needs a complete overhauling. In this article, I will concentrate on the specific issue of "tuition regulation by legislation" that is closely connected to the "question paper leak" currently being discussed.

The Minister of Education has stressed the need for new laws to introduce deterrent punishment on those who are responsible for the recent leak of examination papers. An on-line version of Ceylon Today has quoted, under the heading "Tuition classes to be put under watch", the minister as saying "the government is considering introducing regulations to control the activities of private tuition classes and international schools, following the incident of the GCE Ordinary Level Science paper being leaked through a private tuition teacher". The report further stated that "a special advisory committee, appointed by the ministry, is now reviewing the steps to be taken to amend or introduce legislation". The Island also reported in its on-line edition thataccording to the minister, the existing laws under the Examinations Act were far too lenient and that was one of the reasons why some unscrupulous elements dared leak questions papers.

As reported by Colombo Page online on December 29, the Minister of Higher Education also says that a special countrywide study will be carried out in 2013 on the status of tuition classes. It further reports that, according to the ministry sources, the government is going to compile a set of guidelines for tuition classes.

For the moment, however, I would be happy if the authorities concentrate only on the Examination Paper Leak, to make sure that such leaks will not be repeated. The other issues must be dealt with a deeper understanding of the problem. The country does not want another patchwork solution that will adversely affect especially the underprivileged students making the cure worse than the disease as we have noted many times, most recently during the Z score fiasco of 2011. Further, I am certain that many of the issues cannot be dealt with, only by "legislation".

Almost 40 years back, the district quota system was introduced for selecting students for undergraduate studies at public universities. At that time, the authorities stated that it was a temporary measure until a scheme, that was being finalized by the government to bring all the schools that prepares students for GCE (A/L) into one and the same standard, is implemented. We all know what happened since then about the standards of our school system and also of the district quota system.

We do have a habit of coming out with patchwork solutions to many of the major problems in education and higher education in Sri Lanka – not that we are lacking such ad-hoc measures in other spheres under government control. In fact, there are a plenty. However, I believe extreme care should be exercised when one deals with education as we have had more than sufficient ill-prepared schemes that have already ruined at least one generation of our children.

There is no doubt that tution is a menace, a huge one at that, and it is time someone takes a look. It is necessary to realize that in order to have free education for all, there should not be any tution classes, period. However, the tution culture has now engulfed our system so much that a systematic and focused programme is needed to get rid of this menace, as it has taken roots in this money centered society, just like the drug menace and other similar ills that have spread to all corners of the society. I must confess here that although I am totally against the tution culture, I too send my children to tution classes as there is no getting away from it.

Let us have a look at some of the possible causes for the tution industry to thrive as they do today.

1. Limited opportunities for Higher Education

The need to be at the top of the list among those who sit for the GCE (A/L) examination so that they would be selected to enter the Universities, makes the students do everything to beat others. This is exploited by the tution market in several ways and naturally, the students become the prey. The government and the authorities in education and higher education must, without delay, address the need to expand affordable higher education in the country where a person with the minimum standard required to engage in higher education, will be able to enter a university irrespective of his or her financial situation.

2. Questionpapers

2.1 Preparation

The established need to follow a standard pattern for questions, predictability of questions and repetition of questions, are some of the major reasons for the students to get attracted to tution classes. This is a matter to be addressed at the level of preparation of examination papers. More fundamentally, examination papers must contain challenging questions that are designed to test the knowledge on the subject, to drive students away from examination mentality to knowledge mentality. Such a question paper will also enable the examiners to clearly separate exceptional students from the others.

2.2 Security

It is necessary to bring all the culprits of the recent leaking of the examination papers to justice. It is also necessary to take all precautions to prevent such leaks in the future. However, it must be understood that selling of question papers or other similar acts related to our examination system cannot be eradicated by legislation only. This will continue as long as there will be a person to buy and another to sell. There was a time when we had people with moral standards irrespective of their financial situations who will not sell out their principles for money. As The Island Editor points out, Private tuition is a multi-billion-rupee industry and there are "mudalalis" in the garb of tutors willing to spend a fortune on leaked question papers as they are desperate to outcompete each other in a highly competitive environment.

Buying and selling has become the name of the game in our country. Even those at the highest echelons work on the belief that everyone has a price and once it is reached, he or she is bought. Unless we develop a generation of true values again, we will have to live with buying and selling. Developing such a generation must also come from a properly designed school education system.

3. Quality of teaching and commitment of teachers

When I was in the advanced level class, a few decades back, we had excellent teachers. One of the teachers, who were assigned one full subject and a half of another, out of four subjects, was the Vice Principal of the college. As he could not attend the classes regularly, we were actually worried until, another teacher who was also assigned one and a half subjects, decided that he should take over. He ended up teaching three out of four subjects, sometimes on evenings and weekends. He did not charge a cent from us. In my class, only three students out of a total about went for private tution and they were known to be the weakest students in the group.

Even today, we do have teachers of such quality and attitudes, although not many. We have to admit that in general, over several decades, the quality of teaching and the commitment of teachers have deteriorated in the public school system. Further, even the dedicated teachers are finding it difficult to disseminate knowledge in the way they want to, because of the massive influence of tution classes on students.

4. School calendar and student attendance

Advanced Level classes do not start in many government schools for about eight months after the GCE (O/L) examination. This is attributed to the fact of not having sufficient space to accommodate the students until one group leaves the school after their A/L examinations in August of the following year. This has become a golden opportunity for tution providers to grab the students early, resulting in students losing interest of their classes at school. A/L classes must start immediately after the O/L examinations and this will make the material taught at school classrooms more attractive to the students.

Although there is an attendance requirement to sit for the A/L examination, implementation and effectiveness of this is questionable.

5. Individual tuition

Individual classes, mostly conducted at homes, have taken root among those who can afford exuberant payments to tution providers. We have noted some organizations requesting imposing of a ban on tution classes during days of religious observations. Even from the government side, certain restrictions of similar kind are being proposed. These proposals, if implemented, affects only the students of poor families as the rich students will continue to benefit from individual classes. Any kind of restrictions on mass tution classes will only affect students of low income families of the society.

6. Attraction to tution providers

One of the key features of the drastic deterioration of Sri Lankan value systems evident, especially since the introduction of the open economy in 1977, is the inability to recognize the core and theassociated over emphasis on the coating. This is true for tution masters also and they exploit this to the letter. While the teachers of the national schools are moderately dressed and use public transport to and from school, tution masters display a rich lifestyle that attracts young students. They portray themselves as belong to a higher class and unfortunately, are seen as saviours by those who have twisted values, including many students and parents.

As stated at the beginning, this article also addresses only a single issue of many ills that have engulfed our education system. Swift action by the authorities to revisit the process is the need of the hour.

If the ministry is serious about controlling evils that affect our education system, with special reference to public examinations, it needs to base reforms with the aim of complete eradication of the tution menace. This needs elevation of social standards and the respect for teachers (No, I am not proposing all of them to be commissioned as Brevet Colonels) including a respectable salary for teachers, teacher training that emphasizes re-introduction of values, a revisit on the total process of setting up, printing and the distribution of examination papers, a better education calendars for schools etc.

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Sarath B S Abayakoon is a Senior Professor in Civil Engineering at the University of Peradeniya. He served as a member of the University Grants Commission and also as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya.