Striking academics doing private consultations - students' organization

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The Sri Lanka Freedom Students Organization requested university lectures to call off their strike or carry out their trade union activities as a struggle to win their professional rights without engaging in private consultations.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Students Organization alleged that a majority of the university lecturers were engaging in private consultations at various private educational institutes. What they want is to see the collapse of the free education system and earn more money through private means.

Addressing the media at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday, Sri Lanka Freedom Students Organization president Gihan Bandara Dissanayake said though the government has already agreed to grant their demands at a discussion held with the Higher Education Minister and Economic Development Minister, university lecturers are continuing their strike.

This proves that there is an invisible force behind their actions. Sri Lanka Freedom Students, Organization Media Secretary Roshan Perera said the strike of the university teachers is being staged to achieve personal and political gain. They never think about the future of university students and their families.

"The demand by the university teachers for a salary increase is very unreasonable as the government has already agreed to increase their salaries under several stages. As the first phase of their salary increments, a senior professor's salary has been increased by 73 to 88 percent.

'The minimum salary of university lecturers during probationary period is Rs.55,775 and the maximum is Rs.67, 369. But they are still demanding a salary hike without being satisfied with the increase they had received," Perera said.

Sri Lanka Freedom Students Organization Secretary Amal Madarasinghe and National Organizer Lasitha Ranga also spoke.