Proposed sports university project runs into snags
Questions are being asked about why the Sports Ministry is rushing ahead with the proposed Sports University project without have the required legal provisions passed.
Dr. Chandra Embuldeniya, Chair of the expert panel that carried out a feasibility study for the Sports University which is a part of the Government’s national policy framework, suggests a law similar to the Indian Sports University Act which will allow the campus to be set up with University Grants Commission (UGC) approval. The location has been identified as the Mahinda Rajapaksa Sports Complex in Diyagama.
The Ministry has done little to pass an Act to facilitate the university’s establishment. But it is starting enrollments by January next year, Sports Ministry Secretary K.D.S. Ruwanchandra indicated this week.
The Secretary said they could begin operations by January next year, at a function to distribute wushu equipment to clubs on Wednesday. This could, however, be a pipe dream as even the feasibility report has not been unanimously approved.
“I don’t know how they could enroll students for courses by January when they have not even initiated the process of getting an Act passed in parliament,” said lawyer Panduka Keerthinanda, who has been Legal Adviser to the Ministry a few times. “This is a very good project. But we need to make sure that we work within a legal framework.”
Ruwanchandra differs. “You don’t need the Act in place to start work,” he insisted. “You only need it when awarding the degrees.” The Act will be passed in due course, he said. But he did not explain what will happen to students if a law does not become reality.
This isn’t the only issue. Some expert panel members are against what is being proposed in the feasibility study and have refused to grant consent.
They have proposed ten degree programmes covering all aspects of nutrition, strength and conditioning, tourism sports and adventure, and sports journalism in the first phase with courses based on sports science, Dr Embuldeniya said.
At least three members refused to sign the report, saying it needs correction and amendment by a team of academics involved in Sports Education and University Administration before going further, the Sunday Times can confirm.
Accusing the Committee Chairman of acting unilaterally, some members even petitioned the President saying that the report was prepared in keeping with his own ideas without addressing the scope of task defined in the Cabinet memorandum.
“The majority of the members of the scientific committee wish to inform HE the President and the Hon. Prime Minister that “this report need a lot (sic) corrections and amendments by a team of academics involved in Sports Education and University Administration’ independently before proceeding any further,” the petition reads.
Sports Minister Dullas Allahapperuma by his cabinet memorandum (No. 2020/07) dated February 6, 2020, sought Cabinet approval to conduct a feasibility study to establish a Sports University with international standard and their approval to appoint a panel of experts to do the task.
Accordingly, an 11-member panel with two co- opted members was appointed with ten defined scopes of task. On Wednesday, Dr Embuldeniya - whose credentials to chair a committee on a subject of national importance was questioned by fellow members in their petition to the President - sent a letter to the Sports Ministry Secretary, copied to all members of the expert panel, with an ultimatum to those refusing to sign.
“The report could be taken as the final accepted by the majority of members who signed it and for follow up action as required by the Cabinet of Ministers,” Dr Embuldeniya wrote in his email to fellow members.
A copy of the report was given to each member on June 2, and further two copies were made available at the Sports Ministry for them to go through before signing, he said.
“We got a copy on June 2, but we wanted some amendments done,” said Gregory de Silva, a member. “He wanted us to sign a report which we have not seen. We don’t know whether he has done the amendments we proposed or not.”
“It was a disaster,” another member said, on condition of anonymity, adding he would not place his signature to a document that needs a lot of amendments. “We are dealing with the future of this country. Therefore, we need to be extremely cautious in making decisions. There are a number of aspects we need to look at specially the employability of those graduating from the university. We do not want another set of undergraduates on streets demanding for jobs from the Government.”
Another member said the project should be based on needs assessment and employability, none of which are addressed in the report.
“The graduates of this university should be given other skills and knowledge on para medical, ICT, bio medical engineering, civil and electrical engineering and project management in order to enhance their employability and versatility with multifaceted exposure in addition to sports science, sports exercise, sports management and sports psychology,” sources, with vast experience in university academia, said.
An alternative proposal is ready and could be submitted upon request to the Ministry, they pointed out. They have proposed a new university, firstly as a Faculty under the University of Moratuwa in their technical campus in Diyagama, close to the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Sport facility.
Alternatively, it could be established under Colombo University or University of Kelaniya which is already obtaining UGC approval for a Sport Faculty and is eager to commence a degree programme in sports.