Higher Education Minister at Navasara launch:

Solution to academics’ issues within a few days

Nipuni Wimalapala

The entire authority of the university system should be vested in the intellectuals, academic heads and lecturers so that there will be no room for unnecessary political nominations, said Higher Education Minister, S.B. Dissanayake.

He was addressing the launch of the new tabloid , Nawasara issued along with the Dinamina newspaper. The ceremony was held at the Board Room of Lake House yesterday.

“The issue concerning university academics is being successfully sorted out at present. We will come up with a balanced solution within a few days. We are to provide a solution which will help increase the progress of the university system”, Dissanayake said. He said 90 percent of the university lecturers are quite competent in their academic disciplines. They possess the capacity to provide a huge service to enhance the standard of the prevailing education system. It appears that they are being misguided by certain elements.

The minister noted not only the Education Ministry, but, also many other ministries, such as, Youth Affairs and Skills Development, Economic Development, Social Services etc are taking part in the process of facilitating higher education in the country.

“Establishing private universities is a part of our endeavour to standardize the state universities to the international level. This would bring out multiple outcomes which will benefit both local and foreign students. It will provide a greater opportunity for talented students from middle income families.

‘Mixing students would create a multinational culture within the universities and it will lay a better path for the local universities to compete with their international counterparts. Private universities will help generate economic benefits and the planned scholarship system would expand the free education concept”, Dissanayake stressed. “In the recent past, there was an appalling culture in most of the universities which was carried out by the student unions under JVP political control. Students were supposed to go through an unacceptable ragging system and the lecturers were controlled by the students.

“I changed this culture. Today, the particular academic heads have control and students are not involved in unnecessary activities. I ask the lecturers to contribute their optimum assistance to make our universities world class ones from which more intellectuals to the country would emerge. Without their support we cannot achieve it,” he further noted.

ANCL Editorial Director Seelarathna Senarath stressed these type of papers entirely focus on educating the public. There is no financial motive in this endeavour.

He further said they are willing to launch more such publications through which the public would be informed and understand the government’s effort to enrich their lives.