JVP calls for protection of Oceanic University students

COLOMBO: JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday urged the President to intervene and protect the academic rights of the Oceanic University Students by amalgamating the Oceanic University with the Sri Jayawardenapura University, Kotte.

Weerawansa, in his letter to the President reminded that the Oceanic University which is the brain child of President Rajapakse himself, conducts a diploma course as well as a degree course and some time back the University Board of Management agreed to affiliate the degree course to the Sri Jayawardenapura University as the Oceanic University was not functioning well due to the inefficiency and malpractices on the part of the Administration.

Accordingly, the then Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Chandrasena Wijesinghe took steps to bring the Oceanic University under the Ministry of Education and affiliate it to the Sri Jayawardenapura University.

This step had the sanction of the students, the Ministry Secretary and the Senate of the Sri Jayawardenapura University, and relevant authorities agreed to allocate funds for this change for succeeding five years, the letter pointed out.

Weerawansa's letter charged that owing to some invisible hand, this plan has still not been implemented in spite of agitations by students and parents over the past five months.

Three days ago the students commenced a continuous fast to win their demand.

Under the circumstances, Weerawansa urged the President to intervene and identify the cause for non-implementation of the decision to amalgamate the Oceanic University with the Sri Jayawardenapura University of Kotte and protect the educational rights of the affected students.