FUTA says talks with PM yield no solution

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) says that discussions held yesterday evening with Prime Minister and Education Minister Harini Amarasuriya failed to produce any solution to the deepening crisis in the university system.

The meeting took place at the Ministry of Education in Battaramulla, and focused on issues such as student admissions, the shortage of lecturers, and the extended time students spend within universities.

FUTA President Ruchika Fernando told reporters after the talks that his association understood student admissions would have to be postponed for a considerable period. 

He noted that despite earlier agreements reached with the President and proposals submitted by the University Grants Commission and the Committee of Vice Chancellors to expedite admissions, the Prime Minister informed them yesterday that the proposals had not yet reached the Presidential Secretariat.

“We were surprised. Such an important matter, which we have been waiting on for about a year, has still not reached the relevant place,” he said.

FUTA Secretary Senior Lecturer Charudatta Ilangasinghe added that lecturers from across the country had gathered for the discussion, which continued until 10 pm, underscoring the urgency of resolving the crisis. 

He accused the government of lacking interest in education, saying: “These kinds of discussions are like searching for thorns in a haystack. The government cannot talk about education because it has no interest. We will definitely decide on future actions.”

FUTA has warned that unless urgent steps are taken, student admissions will face further delays, exacerbating the strain on the higher education system. (Newswire)

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