The Federation of University Teachers' Associations will lead protests at state universities tomorrow, pressing the government to address long-standing concerns that have contributed to significant staff departures from the sector.
Lecturers across Sri Lanka's state universities are scheduled to stage a demonstration during lunch hours tomorrow, according to an announcement by the Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA). The action aims to pressure the government into implementing permanent solutions to ongoing problems within the university system.
FUTA Secretary Senior Lecturer Charudaththe Illangasinghe stated that the federation had submitted formal proposals to address these issues shortly after the current government took office. He alleged that despite subsequent discussions with both the President and Prime Minister, and the submission of written communications outlining the problems, the government has failed to implement the proposed solutions or honor agreements reached during negotiations.
The impact on staffing levels has been substantial. According to Illangasinghe, approximately 1,000 lecturers have departed from state universities since 2015, when around 5,800 academic staff were employed. Meanwhile, student admissions have nearly doubled from roughly 25,000 annually to around 45,000, creating significant strain on existing personnel. The federation noted that many newly opened academic positions remain unfilled due to lack of applicant interest.
FUTA has signaled its resolve to escalate action if concerns remain unaddressed. Illangasinghe warned that additional trade union action would commence the following week if the government failed to respond, and indicated the federation is prepared to launch a sustained and potentially intensifying protest campaign. He characterized the situation as critical, cautioning that deterioration of the state university system would ultimately harm the nation's future prospects.