FUTA holding university students, parents to ransom - university lecturers

Athapattu Bandara

The Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) is holding A/L and university students to ransom to achieve their sinister goals, motivated by bankrupt political elements with the support certain international conspirators, non striking university lecturers accused.

Non striking University lecturers held a media conference yesterday at the University Grants Commission (UGC) to reveal the bitter truth behind the ongoing FUTA strike.

They said a majority of the Kelaniya University lecturers have given up the protest after realizing the ulterior motive of the protest. "This trade union action is primarily carried out to gain certain political mileage and to stifle Sri Lanka's rapid growth in the education sector,' they said.

Kelaniya Univesity Senior Lecturer Ven Abhogama Wimalagnana Thera opposing the FUTA decision said, university academics should never turn unpatriotic elements to ruin the lives of university students.

"They should understand they have also come to this level due to the country's free education system. We should not forget our past.", he said.

"A majority of university lecturers enjoy privileges as a result of this country's education policy. Because we are university lecturers, we have no right to damage the country's education system. These striking lecturers have created disputes in the education sector having been guided by outside agendas," he said.

"Sri Lankan universities are generally considered as the institutions which have the least political influence. Universities are independent. The Senate and lecturers take decisions by themselves," he said.

"But FUTA, backed by bankrupt political parties are ruining the good image of Sri Lankan education in the world," he charged.

Kelaniya University Economics Department Head Dr. Ajith Dissanayaka pointed out that over 57 percent of university lecturers have expressed their consent to resume academic work.

"We conduct lectures without any problem. Students also participate in a great way, but, due to the pressure of certain university lecturers, they are fearful of attending lectures," he stated.

Some FUTA lecturers have threatened the students not to attend lectures. From the beginning, the Medical Faulty did not support this trade union action.

On the whole, Kalaniya University perform its academic functions as usual ," he said. Kelaniya University Mass Communication Department Head Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa said FUTA had brought disrepute to the pride and prestige of university lectures by resorting to trade union action. Teachers are respected in society. They are the upholders of the country's education. The public have shown their displeasure over the FUTA trade union action, which tarnished the image of lecturers," he said.

Microbiology Department Senior lecturer Mahendra Gunawardena on the current FUTA demands, dismissed the demands as unreasonable and unethical. He argued that the salaries of university teachers have been increased by large percentages in the recent past.

He claimed it is unfair to demand more when a majority of the working population gets much lower salaries and the country needs more financial resources for development. He showed his monthly salary slip to the media and it had mentioned Rs. 110.000 as his monthly income.

A university lecturer is also eligible to receive other benefits," he said. He dismissed the other major FUTA demand which is an increase of government funding for education by six percent as a politically motivated move to 'take government, students and their parents hostage' in the way LTTE leader Prabhakaran kept thousands of people as human shield during the last phase of the war.

"Prabhakaran also kept a human shield for his survival and in the same manner these striking lecturers are keeping both AL and university students and their parents hostage.

He claimed that narrow minded FUTA, has ignored the massive allocation of funds made for the entire education sector. "If the funding is meagre, how can Sri Lanka become the country with the best literacy rate in the world.

"Sri Lanka is normally considered in the international arena as a country with a high standard of education.

This strike action is also another anti-government international conspiracy," he pointed out.