Address shortages in state unis before starting new unis: FUTA

The government’s failure in addressing the brain drain of academics will affect the implementation of proposals made in the President’s budget speech, the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) claimed.

This week’s second reading of the Appropriation Bill included a number of developments in the higher education sector. President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the government will take measures to establish four new universities considering the current trends for the technical sector.

“The President did not address the current human resources crisis in the budget proposal nor measures to be taken to retain the remaining academics,” President of FUTA Prof Barana Jayawardena said.

He said the state university system already has a shortage of lecturers.

“Universities are currently struggling with the shortage of academic staff. More are currently planning on leaving the country amidst tax concerns, increasing cost of living and lack of grants for research. This will affect the quality of education, even in the proposed universities,” he said.

Prof Jayawardena said if the state is planning on bringing down academics from overseas, offering low salaries will bring down the quality of the higher education sector.

“Foreign academics will not arrive in the country if there is uncertainty on income levels. The government should ensure tax reduction, research grants while having a plan to retain academics,” he added.

Senior geography professor S A Norbert said while measures are taken to establish the climate change university, the government should introduce climate change as a subject in school syllabus as well as introduce undergraduate degree programmes.

“I introduced two subjects on climate change studies to Colombo

University’s geography degree. But student numbers selecting geography are drastically coming down. There is no separate undergraduate course in climatology and climate change nor significant number of resource persons,” he said.

Prof Mrs Sivathy Sivachandiran, dean of the Technology Faculty at the University of Jaffna, said establishing more technology universities will result in more job oriented graduates, however, attention should be given to increase cadres.

“Compared to the arts stream, the technology stream is very promising for job aspirants due to different specialisations from automobile engineering to green farming. It is beneficial for those seeking overseas employment as skilled workers. But with the influx of students, attention should be given to fill existing vacancies,” she said.

She said the President’s speech included getting institutes incorporated into universities, which will make students more exposed to practical learning.