Our Constitution Requires Commitment To Democratic And Not Military Governance
Prof. Savitri Goonesekere and Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala
Some time ago the Friday forumheld a press conference on issues of public concern relating to what we considered a crisis in the education sector in Sri Lanka. We also referred to the trade union action by FUTA, and the urgency of resolving the dispute through a negotiated settlement based on consultation with all the relevant stake holders.
The FUTA trade union action has continued for almost 3 months and virtually paralysed the state universities. The failure of the traditional agencies and individuals within the university system such as the UGC and Vice Chancellors to facilitate a negotiated settlement between university staff unions and the government has led to the involvement of third parties – most recently Hon Minister Basil Rajapaksa. Students, parents and the public hoped that his involvement would ensure an early resolution of the outstanding issues. This has not happened. There seems to be apathy within government and an inclination to ignore the FUTA trade union action, in the belief that striking academic staff will eventually return to work. There is also a growing campaign of vilification of FUTA leaders in the state media, and an effort to create an impression among the public that this trade union action is an anti-government project by a radical and fringe group of academics in the university system.
We urge the government not to disregard what is clearly a strong campaign of trade union action, that has growing support from the academic community. Religious dignitaries have also expressed their concern and offered to negotiate a settlement. FUTA’s trade union action is not merely a campaign to increase staff salaries. It has raised critically important issues that must be addressed by the government in the interests of the higher education sector and the state university system. If the issues are not resolved, students and parents will be faced with a situation where the universities will be compelled to function without the best teachers and researchers, or a disgruntled and frustrated community of academic staff who cannot possibly contribute to strengthening the teaching and learning environment within these institutions. FUTA’s campaign on allocation of adequate resources and strengthening university autonomy and institutional structures and administrative procedures is both relevant and timely. These matters must be addressed if the state university system in this country is to survive and develop further.
The Friday forum in a spirit of constructive engagement would like to highlight what we consider practical measures that can be adopted so as to arrive at a consensus. Academics must be persuaded
The Friday forum in a spirit of constructive engagement would like to highlight what we consider practical measures that can be adopted so as to arrive at a consensus. Academics must be persuaded
through consensus building to resolve this dispute and recommence academic activities in the universities in the interest of their students and the public.
