Government to Abolish—UGC (University Grants Commission)As an IMF Request…

At a Press Conference held at Colombo Sri Lanka all Island university students federation member Mr. Wasanta Mudaligae accused the government of “as a mandatory requirement to be fulfilled as an IMF bail-out regulation government is drastically cutting down it’s spending on social welfare programs. Particularly on free education and national Healthcare system.

It is because of these measures government was forced to import medication with unproven standards and due to they were been administered, many patients underwent treatment within government hospitals suffered severely. it is not only the free healthcare sector but also government funded education sector’s financial allocations that has been drastically deducted. As a result government is taking necessary steps to close down over 2000 government schools through out Sri Lanka.

Additionally many University students who are entitled to receive mahapola scholarships hasn’t been provided with the scholarships for many number of month consecutively and also amount being paid hasn’t been increased in parallel with the cost of living, additionally University student quarters hasn’t been renovated or expanded for many years, National universities academic facilities such as additional lecture halls hasn’t been newly constructed or existing once hasn’t been expanded for a prolonged duration.

Adding to all the chaos universities are being faced with even a greater crisis due to so many tutors are leaving the country, as a result there is an acute shortage of adequate University lecturers. As a rough estimate, we can say within last 6 months alone couple of hundreds of lecturers and professors employed within National University have left the country. So it is very obvious Sri Lankan national university’s education is under tremendous strain and crisis from just about every aspect.

Mr. Mudaligea further added Under this backdrop government has appointed a special committee headed by Minister Vijedasa Rajapakse to overseas development of Higher Education sector within Sri Lanka. And according to this committee’s is report’s it has been suggested and discussed to abolish Sri Lanka’s University Grant Commission (UGC) additionally abolishing of University act published on 1978 as well.

So what is very evident is that government is coming up with all sorts of justifications to limit and to curb spending on national free education system.

He dubbed this committee and it’s report as “Ranil Wijedasa Rajapakse report” and stated “it’s only intention is to privatize Sri Lanka’s national education system in just about every aspect there is to be possible”.