The Island, July 9, 2011, 3:47 pm
Since the Trade Union action by the University teachers began in May this year, the minister has been extremely abusive to the point of ridiculing the dignity of the profession. However, when several lecturers protested in front of Sri Jayawardenapura University in conjunction with his visit there on June 17, 2011, he stated that he expected the conflict between the FUTA and the government to be resolved by the following week. In addition he indicated that the President had pledged to settle the dispute in the budget proposal. (This was the same tune played just before the budget in November 2010 where the outcome was null and thus led to the present crisis).
Nedra Karunaratne,
University of Peradeniya.
Our politicians are experts at rambling at length on topics very close to their hearts. Generally they tend to be quite abusive of the intended target and never generous in appreciating any goodness in fellow beings. One of the greatest ramblers of our times has surfaced in the minister of higher education who to his credit(?) has been able to out-ramble his colleague from the ‘blessed land’ of Kelaniya.
I have highlighted below some of the ramblings of the honorable minister of higher education who swings from one extreme to another depending on the day, time or surroundings and what his mood is. The rambling minister has been recently subjected to the rumblings of the University academics who have swallowed the bait hook line and sinker only to find that instead of the juicy worm they hooked a meager fly!
In showing a rare good mood, while addressing the Scholarships Awarding Ceremony under the World Bank Project- Higher Education for the Twenty First Century (HETC) in March this year, the honorable minister said "the financial position of universities should be strengthened and a research culture should be re-established. University Lecturers should become role models to guide the country towards a bright and prosperous future. Their research should be on a global level not just at local level."
Had he any inkling of what he had said? Or is this just another of the ramblings of our politicians? If he were to uphold his own utterances, there would be no dissatisfied university staff today. Later in the same month, the Fedration of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) began their rumblings when the government did not keep its promise with regard to the salary issue which had been handled very lightly (or not handled at all) over the past three years. Since January of this year all academics had been eagerly awaiting the promised increase which mysteriously was not recorded in the budget of 2010. To the joy of the academics, our rambling minister vowed to increase salaries to a level that they had not asked for or even dreamed of (to Rs 200,000!!).
In the midst of this, in April, at a meeting held with the first year students and their parents at the Sabaragamuwa University, the minister was heard to say that he was prepared to make the necessary decisions in developing the Sri Lankan Universities to international standards. How he would set about doing this, he claimed, was by changing the study courses and modifying the examination system. This he said would produce world class students who are proficient in languages. However, he forgot to mention (or did not think) that to do all this he needed to have qualified academics adept at changing with the times and who have been up to date with the newest developments in their respective fields of study. The frustrations of the academics by this time was at its highest and the hear nothing, see nothing, speak nothing attitude of the government did little to resolve the problem.
Since the Trade Union action by the University teachers began in May this year, the minister has been extremely abusive to the point of ridiculing the dignity of the profession. However, when several lecturers protested in front of Sri Jayawardenapura University in conjunction with his visit there on June 17, 2011, he stated that he expected the conflict between the FUTA and the government to be resolved by the following week. In addition he indicated that the President had pledged to settle the dispute in the budget proposal. (This was the same tune played just before the budget in November 2010 where the outcome was null and thus led to the present crisis).
On July 5, almost two months into the dispute of the FUTA, President Rajapaksa at the annual prize giving of Dharmaraja College, Kandy proclaimed that children can attend schools without fear and suspicion. Children should be healthy and should respect their parents and teachers and moral ethics. He called on the students to make optimum use of the freedom that prevails, without being treacherous to the country. When asked what plans he had for the education of the students, the president responded that "the responsibility of producing virtuous children lay solely with the teachers".
What is very obvious here is that the formation of character and inculcating of moral ethics begins at school. Only thereafter can the University teachers produce graduates who are not ‘kalakannis.’ It is refreshing to note that the president has understood the need to have good teachers in schools. Does he realize that it is even more important to have the highest qualified teachers in the universities? This is a good example as to why a knowledgeable minister is required to advise the president. The minister should have informed the president why highly qualified academics are required to teach and impart knowledge to students particularly at the tertiary level.
Hot off the press, Lankapuwath reports on July 7 that the rumble regarding the increased intake of foreign students brought on a media briefing by the higher education minister. His rambling was limited to explaining that 21,000 students will be enrolled as promised, but the number of foreign students will increase from 0.5% to 5%. He is also careful to mention that "Infrastructure facilities would be developed to include the increased intake." The minister further said that promotional programmes, at diplomatic level, would be launched in order to attract foreign students.
The dear minister has very conveniently forgotten that infrastructure alone does not constitute University education. Increased staff to take up the increased work load and additional staff to introduce new programmes is a must if foreign students are to be attracted to our Universities. Very simply put, our rankings must increase for foreigners to put their money into our Universities.
A rather disturbing and terrifying mindset is the lack of concern by the general public towards the crisis in the Universities. Be it the problem of the academic staff or the military training of the first year students, the response by the public at large has been dismal. This is shown by the type of questions raised by the guests at the prize giving of Dharmaraja College, Kandy, who were given the golden opportunity of asking questions from the president. The only query pertaining to University admissions was regarding admissions for those excelling in sports. Surprisingly no parent had any interest in the state of the Universities or their lack of function or the views of the president on this matter.
Has the population become immune to the concerns of others? Is the general public unable to reason the importance of quality education? Or is it just that people have become so selfish that anything that does not affect them is not their business?
FUTA is making every effort to educate the general public with the public seminars held around the country. The enterprising academics at Peradeniya set the ball rolling with the first such awareness campaign on June 1 followed by Ruhuna at Matara on June 13. The Academics of the Colombo based Universities were the most successful considering the large population in the city, attracting over a 1,000 to their seminar. Thereafter, Rajarata held a rally at Anuradhapura and Jaffna hosted a similar session on July 1 and 8 respectively.
What impact has it made on the most important people responsible for resolving the problem? Are they able to understand the underlying urgency of resolution and settlement of the issue at hand? Why boast of a high rate of literacy if the highest educated ministers are unable to appreciate the worth of free education and the need of a public university system?
When the FUTA struggle was in its third week, a flicker of hope was kindled by the government who broke their silence to commence negotiations. But now five weeks thereafter the proceedings between various officials and the FUTA continue to draw a blank. Throughout all this the role of the UGC Chairman and the Vice Chancellors has remained questionable. Their silence signifies the sycophantic attitudes that have infiltrated the University system and eroded its autonomy.
Their deplorable behaviour is a disgrace to the entire academic community.
Are we in a position to say that the government is handling public issues such as this and the private sector pension plan with the priority they warrant? Without proper guidance we could only head towards a precipice. When the rumblings of the people reach a crescendo, a crumbling of the system is evident. History has recorded many feats and follies of previous rulers and regimes.
History as we know has a tendency to repeat itself. Can we truly believe that we are heading for prosperity as with the Dutugemunu or Parakramabahu era? Maybe there were no University academics in those times to upset the apple cart and so it may not be necessary to have them in the ‘future miracle of Asia’.
(The writer is a professor of chemistry at the University of Peradeniya)
Original article on The Island
