Bigger intake might trigger outburst

Monday, 15 October 2012 08:48

With the decision to increase the intake of students, the university authorities are hard pressed to accommodate the new batch, due to insufficient hostel, canteen and lecture hall facilities, officials said yesterday.

Under these circumstances, the Committee of Vice Chancellors stressed the need to accelerate the improvement of facilities in the university system within the next three months.

The Committee’s president, Prof. Susirith Mendis told Daily Mirror that each university had been compelled to increase its intake by 500----600 students; and the lecture halls, hostels and canteens available at present would be quite insufficient to meet their needs.

Prof. Mendis, who is the vice chancellor of Ruhuna University, said that the vice chancellors had asked for increased grants for the improvement of facilities as, otherwise, it would be a serious challenge.

“We asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to take steps in this regard. The UGC is now acting to meet the additional funding requirements through negotiations with the Treasury,” he said.

He said, “Even today, there are limited hostel facilities. Unless we improve facilities, matters will take a turn for the worse with the increased intake.

He said, “To my university alone, the intake has to be increased by 530. For the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, it has to be increased by 250.
Lecture halls, canteens and hostels are the biggest problem. We have to accelerate the improvement of these facilities within the next two or three months.
Following a Supreme Court ruling, the UGC decided to increase the annual intake by 5600 to the universities and their affiliated colleges. For the Arts Faculties at the traditional universities such as Kelaniya, Peradeniya and Sri Jayewardenepura, the intakes had to be doubled.

Asked about the situation at the Medical and Engineering Faculties, Prof. Mendis said that it would not be a problem at his Medical Faculty because the increment would be small. However, he said, the laboratory facilities for the Engineering Faculty needed to be increased.

Asked for a comment, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navaratne said that the annual grants would be increased to meet the additional demands. He said that it had to be increased by about two billion rupees. (Kelum Bandara)

Comments

-0+36 # Big Ears 2012-10-15 08:58

This is why 6% is needed for education.

-39+8 # Al Rasa 2012-10-15 09:30

Too much University students. Discipline inszero level. No jobs for graduates. Course of studies pursued in Universities not making them employable except medical students (In time to come there can be too much of Doctors ) . Lecturers are demanding higher salaries (this is justifiable because these intellectuals should be made financially sound since now a days all cronies who are uneducated and earn money with nefarious methods are recognized and made to lead a good
life). However the end result will be that no one is found to even pluck coconuts in this country because all are degree holders.

-3+26 # Nodrog 2012-10-15 10:40

What a simple mind. In the midst of all the hullabaloo all he thinks of is no one to pluck coconuts for his pol sambol. If all thought like him we'd all be coconut pluckers.....maybe that would make al rasa happy?

-4+4 # citizen 2012-10-15 09:34

2 Billion? Hmm.... I know if you estimate a medical degree cost it comes to around 50laks but other degrees its around 2-3 laks. So how come 5609 more students due to court ruling cost 2 Billion? I'm sure the number of medical students in this group is less than 100.

-2+32 # Prasannajit 2012-10-15 09:34

Cut down the cost in defence spending and transfer it to education.

-12+3 # Bandara 2012-10-15 11:09

The govt can not cut down on defense because the loan installments and interest on loans taken to purchase fire arms in the past has to be met.

-4+13 # christopher 2012-10-15 09:35

First of all, stop the MOSQUITO menace in the Colombo City. No foreign students going to come and study under Dengu Mosquito Environment.

-9+12 # patriot 2012-10-15 09:38

Its high time we increased the no of medical intakes as there is a severe shortage of doctors. As a result doctors are the only profession who are allowed to work for the govt and also do private practice which no other govt servant is allowed to do. Also docs get duty free vehicles. Finally hey are a law unto themselves. So increase the no of docs and make sure they are treated the same as any other profession.

-5+15 # Free Thinker 2012-10-15 10:27

Oh you think becoming a doctor is very easy and they can 'breed' doctors like cattle? Medico students usually have no life from 19-28 age interval. They work like crazy without no sleep or sometime not even proper meals. They do deserve some money and security at the latter part of their lives. Anyone who has a doctor/medical student as a family member would agree with this.

-0+10 # Nihal Amarasekera 2012-10-15 09:59

Cascading effect of a "small" blunder.

-18+4 # Ranjith Silva 2012-10-15 10:22

The Dons may be lazy to work hard and take strong actions to improve the usage of facilities at Universities.
Make houses nearby as hostels and have lectures early till late time. Students are full time learners and foreign universities work from 7.00 AM till 7.00 PM.
Why not our Dons work bit hard? (now they get a bit more money too)

-0+13 # Nodrog 2012-10-15 10:27

From top to bottom it seems the authorities in the education field are all incompetent judging by the regular crises in the education sector. For a country aspiring to be the education hub of the FE we are absolutely clueless how to handle even the basics.

-1+8 # Sabithini 2012-10-15 10:32

What about the jobs when they pass out. The total count of graduates will be doubled.Will there be enough job opportunities for this grads?. I'm sure because of decision we will have more problems in the future. More unemployment, more protests....

-1+14 # Sammy 2012-10-15 10:45

Quantity over quality!

-0+7 # Sagara 2012-10-15 11:11

Take them all in. Army can provide tents, ask them to stand and eat.

-1+6 # ugrad 2012-10-15 11:19

according to a Ministry of Finance report almost 50% of Capital Expenditure allocated towards Universities is not spent and returned to the Treasury.

Time to use and improve facilities. I have friends in the hostel and from what i have heard the conditions are horrendous.

-0+7 # Matalan 2012-10-15 12:14

The University curricula should be restructured at meaningful intervals to cater for job demands now and for the future - the key factor being employability (as both employee and self-employee). This would largely eliminate over-worked graduates with little hope of finding jobs to fit their effort. Universities to run @ two 6 hr shifts - early and late lectures, hostel dwellers attending late lectures. This would solve all accommodation problems including those canteen facilities. Extra funding is needed of course for extra hours/staff As for accommodation, a register need to be opened for additional suitable private lodging following inspection at rates lower than the going, but not subsidised, as it will lead into a whole can of corruption.

-1+0 # charana 2012-10-15 15:54

when are the 201 batch starting

-0+2 # Davis 2012-10-15 16:24

Sagara,
You are correct.They have already received "leadership training" - how to kill civilians who are political opponents.

-0+1 # Davis 2012-10-15 16:38

There will be 10,000 unskilled,unemp loyable graduates clamouring for 'white collar' jobs in 3 years time.

-0+5 # Justin Keppetiyagama 2012-10-15 17:43

When FUTA was demanding 6% of GDP for education these Vice Chancellors did not extend their support for that demand.Now they mast start another "Pada Yathra' demanding to increase the University facilities.
Justin Keppetiyagama

-0+0 # Lanka purawesiya 2012-10-15 18:59

I know this professsor.he is really good.Please accept these poor students affected by the Thatils z score

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