Keep politics away from universities – Dullas

Chaminda Perera

Universities must be free from politics, Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullus Allahapperuma said.

He said university students should not be a cat's paw of political parties.

The minister said political puppets were in the habit of manipulating university students according to their agenda and this led to the collapse of the entire university system. Alahapperuma was speaking at a ceremony at the University of Vocational Technology in Ratmalana to enrol students for the 2013 - 2014 academic year. Students were enrolled for nine degree courses including Bachelor of Education in English language teaching and Bachelor of Technology in ICT conducted by the university.

The minister said universities should have students' unions and students should organise themselves for their benefit. “Universities should be free from politics. They should be free from politics of the UNP, JVP and the SLFP,” he said.

Minister Alahapperuma said no political party or government was concerned about the country's vocational education than the present government. “President Mahinda Rajapaksa discussed this issue in his policy framework - the Mahinda Chinthanaya in detail,” he said. He said some members of political parties and some members of the university academia were in doubt when the University of Vocational and Technology was established. The vocational training sector received step - motherly treatment by successive governments for over a century. This situation was completely changed with the convocation of the University of Vocational Technology held in July last year, the minister said.

The country's education sector took a new turn with the establishment of the University of Vocational Technology. He said vocational education did not receive its due place in the country for over a century.

The minister said traditional universities in the tertiary education system received recognition from the academia and the public.

Minister Alahapperuma said the government will introduce the technology stream to the Advanced Level from August this year. He was of the view that this decision would become a turning point in the country's education system and development.

The minister said the country witnessed tremendous changes with the end of terrorism. “Almost all sectors, including education, has been changing since the eradication of terrorism. The people's way of thinking is also changing,” he said. Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry Monitoring MP Mohan Lal Grero, Chancellor Professor Dayantha Wijesekera and Vice Chancellor Dr T A Piyasiri were also present.