Several students’ unions in
Sri Lanka say the students' movements in the country would oppose moves by the Sri
Lanka government to re-introduce the private universities bill.
Sri Lanka government has decided to grant 15 years tax holidays via special gazette notice to
set up a British Central Lancashire University (Uclan Sri Lanka) in Meerigama
Sri Lanka
major students union Inter University Students’ Federation IUSF (Anthare) has
organized several protests in front of Universities against the government
special Gazette notice which provided tax holidays for foreign Campus. Students
of Peradeniya, Rajarata ,Ruhuna & Visual Performing arts universities were
joined with these protests
Meanwhile National Organizer of the
Socialist Students Union (SSU), Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa issuing a statement has
said that the government is attempting to reintroduce the 'private universities
bill' that was temporarily withdrawn due to objections from university students
and lecturers.
Dr. Jayatissa noted that the
latest attempt is to further legalize the establishment of private universities
through the extra-special gazette notification no. 1824/21 issued on 22nd
August.
The SSU in March this year
said the Higher Education Ministry had compiled such a document and had sent it
to the Legal Draftsman's Department.
"The relevant document
had 36 clauses and the gazette notification was issued removing only the 9th
clause which stated that 'the institute that applies to present degrees should
make payments to a special authority in the Ministry of Higher
Education'," Dr. Jayatissa noted.
"The University Grants
Commission (UGC) established under University Act 16 of 1978 has been
authorized supervision, inspection and regulation of all higher education
institutions in the country. Even President J.R. Jayewardene, who first
attempted to sell education by introducing free economy to the country,
couldn't completely abolish independence of the UGC.
Attempts were made to
establish private medical colleges during the periods of JR Jayewardene and
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga by wriggling through loopholes that existed
in the existing laws. Those governments were not able to weaken the University
Act or the UGC. However, it seems that the Mahinda Rajapaksa government is
determined to begin private universities," Dr. Jayatissa added.
The SSU called on the public
to rally with Sri Lankan students' movement to prevent the privatization of the
country's education sector.
Related News - Uclan Campus in Sri Lanka
Rather than giving tax holidays to foreigners it is better to improve the standards of local universities. It is not only infrastructure development but updating the syllabi and revising the recommended reading list to cater to modern times is essential. Some of the books recommended for reference in the Colombo Medical College and Moratuwa Engineering faculty are out of print books. Therefore the whole batch of undergraduates have to rely on few old books at the library. It is very important that the lecturers teach the latest developments in their specific field and recommend upto date books for reference.
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