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FUTA demands abolition of KNDU Bill
The Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) has urged the government to drop plans to introduce the General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill in the guise of an ‘Amended Bill.’
The FUTA alleged that the changes made were cosmetic and there was no change to the substance of the Bill and it posed a grave threat of militarising higher education in Sri Lanka.
The FUTA statement: “We also note that the government is attempting to push through this highly controversial bill at a time when the country is facing its gravest economic and governance crisis since independence and call upon the government to immediately halt this process and withdraw the Bill. The KNDU Bill is hardly a policy priority at this moment when the country’s economic life has all but ground to a halt and people and industries are struggling with 8-hour power cuts, fuel and gas shortages and the concomitant disruption of livelihoods.
The amended Bill continues to allow civilian education at KNDU, and it allows education in all disciplines without restricting the functions of the University to defence and military studies. It also facilitates a fee levying higher education space that can be expand limitlessly and create a parallel highly unregulated higher education system outside the state university system in which student admission is not based on merit but the financial strength of the students’ social background. The so-called ‘amended Bill’ retains a highly militarized governance structure from top to bottom and the Board of Governors, the top governing body of the university, is full of military officers including the top most military officers of the country, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy and the Commander of the Air Force. The Vice Chancellor also remains a senior officer of the armed forces. Under the ‘amended bill’ there continues to be a Head Quarters, the high level operational body of the KNDU, filled with military personnel. This is a body placed above the Council which in a normal civilian university is the supreme administrative forum..
The ‘amended bill’ has further introduced a highly controversial amendment to include the Chairman of the UGC as the member of the Board of Governors (prior to the amendment it was restricted to a nominee of the UGC). While already the representation of the UGC – the institute that carries the prime responsibility of regulating and safeguarding the interests of the state university system – within the Board of Governors of the KNDU leads to a conflict of interest, naming the Chairman of the UGC as a member of the Board of Governors at the KNDU exacerbates this conflict of interest. As those who are familiar with the issues within the existing KDU are aware, the presence of the Chairman of the UGC at the existing Board of Management of the KDU has made him complicit in decisions that seriously undermine the state university system which has even led to court cases where he is a respondent. His presence within the Board of Governors of the proposed KNDU – with greater powers to dominate and expand this military-led system of higher education – can pose a serious threat to the interests of the existing state university system. As past experience has shown the UGC chairman has been unable to represent the interests of the state university system within the Board of Management of the KDU, but has only served to undermine the interests of the state university system while facilitating the expansion of KDU and its military model of education.
FUTA therefore urges the government to unconditionally withdraw the KNDU Bill immediately. As we have explained in detail in a number of our previous communications, FUTA unreservedly rejects civilian education within a highly militarized structure such as the KNDU. Allow civilian education be given within the state university system and reallocate the vast amount of money channeled to KDU/KNDU to the state university system to facilitate its expansion, so that civilian student earmarked for KDU/KNDU can be absorbed into the existing state university structure. University education is a civilian affair and all across the democratic world universities are spaces that produce independent, free-thinking and creative citizens. A military-led education model will never achieve this and will only further contribute to tarnishing Sri Lanka’s already battered democratic credentials in the global community.”
We would like to remind the government that the country is in a serious multidimensional crisis and on the the verge of collapse unless urgent remedial action is taken. Rather than trying to re-package controversial bills that were soundly rejected by a vast cross-section of the people of this country, what the government should do is to focus on the multiple crisis faced by the country and find immediate solutions. FUTA is determined to defeat the KNDU Bill and will take all possible measures to prevent militarization of high education in the country and mobilize broad social and political support against this ‘amended KNDU Bill’ unless it is withdrawn immediately.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
