. FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS' ASSOCIATIONS Department of History, University of Colombo, Colombo 03 Tele: 0718016200 / email: nrdewasiri@gmail.

com

Misuse of public funding for higher education, infringement of university autonomy and violation of tender procedures through hiring of government owned commercial private security to Sri Lanka's state Universities.
The Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) has issued a directive that all universities should hire a security firm Rakna Lanka Ltd to provide security. This firm is a government owned commercial security venture, setup under the Ministry of Defence, supervised by secretary of defence, where only ex-servicemen are hired. A petition is now being signed by the Academic Community of Sri Lanka appealing against the complete contravention of the norms and conventions by which Universities are expected to function. We highlight the following issues in this regard: 1. Misuse of the very limited public funding available for Higher Education. A recent World Bank report shows that Sri Lanka only spends 1.9% of her GDP on education (middle income countries, spend on average 4.6% of GDP on education). This is the lowest for the entire region. To fulfil Sri Lanka's aspirations of becoming a knowledge hub, the report recommends increasing funding, ironing-out legal issues and streamlining of the institutions. FUTA has already demanded (resorting even to Trade Union Action) that the funding for Education should be increased to at least 6% of GDP. The right of the Universities to spend even this small amount of money for the education of our people is being taken away. Even the pittance that is given for higher education is being snatched from higher education to pay for a very expensive government sponsored security firm.

President Dr. Nirmal.R.Dewasiri University of Colombo Tel 0718-016200

Vice Presidents Rev Dambara Amila, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Dr. A.U. Arunakumara, University of Ruhuna Dr. Ananda Jayawickrama University of Peradeniya

General Secretary Prof. Neville Warnakulasooriya University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Asst. Secretary Dr. Prabhath Jayasinghe University of Colombo

Treasurer Dr. Pavithra Kailasapathy University of Colombo

2. Violation of tender procedures. The standard tender procedures of hiring and outsourcing are deliberately circumvented through this directive of the MOHE. A provision which the universities had, to call for tenders and select the most suitable entity for the job is being violated through this procedure. It is now well known that Rakna Lanka Ltd. is very much more expensive than former security firms hired by Universities. 3. Infringement of University Autonomy. Critical thinking, innovation, research, discovery and universal knowledge only thrives in an environment which provides intellectual freedom. This aspect will greatly diminish when a security firm managed by the ministry of defence comprising ex-servicemen is implanted within the university. Following these reasons, FUTA demands that MOHE withdraw its directive, paving way for the universities to function as intended in a free thinking environment, following the established procedures that uphold the autonomy of our universities.

Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri President/FUTA

President Dr. Nirmal.R.Dewasiri University of Colombo Tel 0718-016200

Vice Presidents Rev Dambara Amila, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Dr. A.U. Arunakumara, University of Ruhuna Dr. Ananda Jayawickrama University of Peradeniya

General Secretary Prof. Neville Warnakulasooriya University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Asst. Secretary Dr. Prabhath Jayasinghe University of Colombo

Treasurer Dr. Pavithra Kailasapathy University of Colombo