Time for university administration to assert itself
Ridma DISSANAYAKE
In the past 50 years the university administration was in students'
hands. They made every decision in relation to the education system,
discipline and changes in higher education. This is the time to get
these back under the university administration, Higher Education
Minister S B Dissanayake said.
Certain politicians had made decisions without thinking about the
university administration. Because of these decisions certain lecturers
faced many problems and they were unable to control the students, he
added. The Minister was addressing the second workshop organized by the
Higher Education Ministry for Heads of Departments and Heads of section
of Universities, Technological Institutes, other State and private
higher education institutes on new horizons and strategies for higher
education held at the BMICH yesterday.
Some think that if private universities are established in Sri Lanka,
they will become a threat to local universities. However, we have laid
down certain conditions for those universities. In recruiting students
to private universities, 20 percent will be local scholarship holders.
Private universities will help to develop country's economy while
increasing foreign income. It will be a solution to the students who are
requesting higher education, he noted.
The Minister said that the Higher Education Ministry hopes to grant
permission to establish the Malabe Medical Faculty. Because it has been
established to meet all the requirements of a faculty. The
responsibility of universities is to create talented students. Lecturers
of the universities are responsible for this. Steps will be taken to
make it more efficient in the near future, the Minister said.
He said, "We should build a good environment in the universities with
many facilities so that it will help the students.
Chancellors,vice chancellors Deans and lecturers in universities
should take disciplinary action on students. This will help bring local
universities to the highest levels, said Minister.
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