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Starting all unis on same day impractical: FUTA

Proposes all faculties in each uni to start concurrently

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) said that the Government is offering solutions that cannot be practically implemented, merely to ease tensions among university teachers. The FUTA claimed that while the advice given to Vice Chancellors (VCs) to start State universities on the same day is a positive move, it would be difficult to implement in practice. Instead, it called for at least all faculties within each university to commence academic activities on the same day.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, FUTA Assistant Secretary Prof. Aruna Wanninayake said that many issues in the university system could be resolved if universities started on the same day, but that implementing such a system under the current circumstances could create significant difficulties for students. “The international practice also is to recruit all the university students on one day. But, this is not applicable for Sri Lanka. In our country, there are universities even with six batches in a given academic year. Hence, even though the Government tries to start universities on one day, it is not possible. First, the issues of the existing system should be addressed,” he said. He said that the Government should first focus on issues at the university level and seek to have different faculties commence academic activities on the same date. He added that instead of offering solutions aimed at easing tensions but which are impractical, the Government should focus on making the existing system more efficient.

The comments come in the wake of the University Grants Commission instructing VCs of State universities to submit proposals aimed at enrolling and admitting all qualified students on the same date.