State Universities need monitoring by independent body: Prof. Weerakoon

Sri Lanka's State universities need assessing by an independent monitoring body, to maintain its standard of education said an outgoing university Professor. Mathematics Prof (Rtd) Sunethra We e r a k o o n of Sri Jayawardenapura University ( SJU), called for a government appointed commission with independent members to assess and monitor State universities which are on the decline, because of incompetence and collusion among management personnel and academic staff.

She said the dire need was to upgrade State universities that have fallen into a quagmire of degradation and corruption, and is failing to equip students with the skills and knowledge that should be imparted to them.

Prof Weerakoon in her speech at the International Industrial Mathematics Conference held on June 4, 2016, in her honour, attributed the malady of universities to the attitude of students, the inconsiderate academic staff, the lethargy of the university administration and lapses in the strategic management oversight and politicisation.

Prof. Weerakoon pointed at the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the glaring administrative oversights within State universities, which is besieged with institutional and cultural corruption. This, she attributes to self interest among the academia and political interest. The main contributors being the incompetency of the UGC's secretarial staff, who are in alliance with powerful and unethical parties.

Prof. Weerakoon revealed the degraded state of SJU’s Applied Science Faculty as an example, and opines that the problem is wide- spread within all universities.

The single greatest issue she said was the high prevalence of ragging of 1st-year students, accompanied by bullying in hostels, which involves intimidation, thuggery and assault. She concedes there is a strong relationship between thuggery and political extremism, which is tacitly supported by some academic staff who are sympathisers of extremist ideology, leading also to collapse in the usage of English language in universities.

Universities, she said, do not take any action against these practices and that Faculty Deans are responsible, as they acquiesce these activities silently or, even instigate corrupt activities. “Public universities are tangled in a web of corruption, incompetence and decline,” she said.

There also pervades a negativity among students, as seen in their attitudes and perception, which is being exploited by opportunistic academic and managerial staff of universities. The students believe in a sense of entitlement and complacency, and believe they are entitled to a successful university life and career.

Poor motivation in respect of academic curiosity or scholarly achievements is another cause. They have little respect for academic life or, have any intellectual aspirations, and are involved in issues that are unhealthy and disruptive to academic life.

Research in 2013 has shown that the government spends around Rs 4 million of taxpayers’ money to produce a Medical graduate. “Now it should be more,” she said.

Another criteria to be addressed is the poor attendance at lectures. The administration is lax and allows students to sit exams without attending a single lecture. They fear that the student organisation will disrupt examinationswith aggressive behaviour.

She disclosed that inappropriate intakes to Postgraduate programmes is placing unnecessary strain on Depts, and the increase in the number of Research Degrees awarded by State universities, has become a threat to Higher Education, as unsuitable candidates are recruited into the academic staff of universities.

Prof. Weerakoon, among her recommendations to address the problems said that, universities should establish a student culture with primary concerns being education, learning, merit, discovery, academic achievements and vocational qualifications, which provide them a 1st class education.

Also, she said, students be groomed to accept and support new students and the culture of ragging be completely uprooted from the system.

She called on the academicsto spend time in universities, allocating a minimum of 30 hours a week, during which time they can collaborate on research, and extend support to students.

Moreover, it is suggested that a strict and regular audit and rating be carried out on the teaching performance of all Faculties by an independent body, which should also give mandatory recommendations on teaching and promotion.

As a measure to stop plagiarism among students, she suggests that all Postgraduate theses be published online.

Also, when registering students for Masters and PhD Degrees, only the most qualified students be given places. She also called on all External Degree programmes in conventional universities to be terminated.