(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed optimism that with the stabilization of the country’s economy, it will be possible to provide solutions to the problems of university lecturers.
Meeting with the University Teachers’ Association Thursday at the Presidential Secretariat, President Wickremesinghe said the government will be able to consider the financial concessions and privileges requested by the university lecturers after the domestic debt restructuring program is successfully completed and the country’s economy is stabilized by September.
Academic staff representatives from all the universities were present and the main purpose of the discussion was to identify the solutions that can be given to the problems faced by the university lecturers and to maintain the university system in the current economic downturn.
The President also instructed the authorities to submit a cabinet memorandum regarding filling the necessary vacancies in the university system.
The university lectures emphasized that the existing educational facilities are insufficient compared to the number of students that enroll in the universities annually.
The focus was on improving the facilities of the university system while maintaining the current financial allocation restrictions, and President Ranil Wickremesinghe advised to pay more attention to the develop the facilities of medical, engineering and science faculties.
The President further directed the authorities to consult with the Attorney General and reach a decision on the possibility of re-granting the research allowance of the currently suspended university lecturers.
Attention was also drawn here on the need to get appropriate advice to suit the current world in decision-making and improving educational reforms regarding the country’s university education.
Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, President’s Senior Adviser on Economic Affairs Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga, Secretary of the Ministry of Education Nihal Ranasinghe, Chairman of the University Grants Commission Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunga and the heads of line institutions of the government including officials of the Ministry of Finance were present at this discussion.
