Minister S B Dissanayake on university TU action:

Granting Dons’ salary demands possible within next two years

*Will upset present economic plans if granted now

*Budget too has not made provision

*Only 36.2 percent lecturers keeping away

Disna MUDALIGE

Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake revealed that the ministry is working towards a proper programme to uplift the income status of university lecturers with the collaboration of the private sector.

He said his aim is to grant Rs 200,000 for a junior lecturer and Rs 500,000 for a senior professor in a local university within the next two years. Addressing a press conference held at the University Grants Commission yesterday, the minister pointed out that the lecturers’ demand is impossible at this hour since the financial allocations made by the budget for the year were already approved.

He noted that 36.25 percent salary hike was granted to the university lecturers while all the other government sector employees were granted only a five percent salary hike. “The country is heading towards an 8.5 percent economic development growth and development targets are already set. If this demand of the lecturers is to be met all these goals will have to be revised,” the minister stressed. He said that 317 department heads from a total of 461 departments are at work at present ignoring the union action. The minister observed that among the 289 department heads who submitted their resignation letters from their positions 103 had withdrawn their letters on the following day itself. Only 36.2 percent of the university lecturers of the country have joined the unfair and irrational trade union action demanding a 140 percent salary hike, he said.

The Minister also revealed that 52 lecturers who have not withdrawn their letters have personally informed the Vice Chancellors, the UGC or the Ministry that they are presently engaged in the work attached to their respective posts.

The Minister observed that only 144 lecturers have joined with the union action at the moment.

The Minister also pointed out that about 80 percent of the lecturers can benefit from the 25 percent research allowance increase through out the year.

He revealed that about 80 percent of the lecturers in the Colombo University, 80 percent in the Moratuwa University and 60 percent in the Sri Jayewardenapura University have already applied for the research allowance. The Ministry has allocated about Rs 390 million to grant the research allowance.

He said that measures have already been taken to reserve five percent intake of foreign students into local universities so that the universities could benefit financially. He also said that permission will be given to establish private institutions attached to the Universities to offer the same University degree programs.

He pointed out that income avenues should be arranged for local universities as with many other Universities in the world. The benefits in turn will be for the higher education sector of the country in general, he explained.

The Minister also said that a special discussion over the lecturers demands will be held on May 23 with the President.