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.