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| Saturday, 3 July 2004 |
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Series of measures to ensure security, discipline: J'pura re-opening slated for July end The Vice Chancellor and the Senate of the Sri Jayawardhanapura University yesterday took a tentative decision to reopen the University during the last week of July. This decision was made on a series of discussions with the special committee consisting of student leaders, council members and senior academics of the University chaired by Chandra Embuldeniya, the Education Ministry said yesterday. The University was closed on June 6 following the killing of third year undergraduate Sampath Bandara by members of a rival student faction. Police arrested four suspects in this connection. The Vice Chancellor and the Senate have decided to initiate several progressive and innovative steps to make the environment on campus conducive to academic work before the formal opening. These include setting up an independent committee consisting of eminent public servants responsible for organising security and discipline arrangements, strengthening private security arrangements in charge of internal property, gates etc. Establishing a senior Dean as a Proctor responsible for the different types of security arrangements, special discipline committees consisting of student representatives, faculty members, student councils etc. and establishing a mobile police unit outside the University premises under the purview of the Proctor are among the other measures. The most innovative step will be a specialised training program targeting about 200 student leaders on leadership, social harmony, resolving problems and conflict tolerance and understanding, which will be conducted by experts in psychology and related disciplines, the Ministry said. These special programs will be funded by the World Bank IRQUE program social harmony component and will be started immediately. The Vice Chancellor intends to hold the convocation after the re-opening. Meanwhile, a meeting was arranged with Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Dinesh Gunewardena, both Deputy Ministers of Education, for the representatives of the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) to discuss their requests for certain facilities at Universities. The IUSF was represented by Duminda Nagamuwa, Convener of the Federation Ven. Lunugamvehera Kalyanaransi Thera Convener of the Inter University Bhikkhu Federation and 15 university student union leaders. The possibilities of securing funds and other forms of assistance for the Universities from foreign sources through Sri Lanka missions abroad was discussed. The other forms of assistance are international magazines, periodicals, library books and sports equipment. The student representatives agreed to provide a list of their needs after a proper analysis of all Universities. Special attention was drawn to the possibility of obtaining foreign assistance for the training of English language trainers at the Universities. Minister Kadirgamar stated that his Ministry would be pleased to work with the Ministry of Higher Education and the University authorities to obtain assistance for this cause. Ministers Gunawardena and Samaraweera invited the students to a separate meeting at the Ministry of Higher Education on July 12. |
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