Re-open campuses for all batches: IUSF Convener
View(s):The Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) on Friday handed over a letter to the Prime Minister’s office containing five demands related to State universities, including the immediate reopening of all universities under COVID-19 prevention guidelines.
The five requests also include holding convocations that had been postponed repeatedly on account of the pandemic, addressing issues related to the delay in paying installments for Mahapola Scholarships and taking steps to resolve general issues affecting State universities, such as hostel and lecturer shortages, said IUSF Convener Wasantha Mudalige.
Mr Mudalige said they had earlier met with the University Grants Commission (UGC) officials regarding the possibility of reopening universities.
“The UGC Chairman told us that they were going to discuss with health authorities on reopening universities safely, but we do not see any definite mechanism aimed at reopening them,” Mr Mudalige told the Education Times.
He said they were informed that the plan was to reopen universities for individual batches from May onwards, but beyond that, there has been no movement.
“We would anyway like to see State universities open for all batches at the same time,” he said.
UGC officials had earlier pointed out that thousands of students were dependent on hostel facilities. They highlighted the risk of infection if so many students were to use the same common facilities at hostels at the same time. The IUSF Convener though, pointed out that no one was certain at the moment when the pandemic would end.
“What happens if this pandemic continues for another two or three years? Is the Government planning to keep universities closed indefinitely until COVID ends? The Government has also cut down 40% of the budget reserved for education. If they are serious about the issue, they ought to be allocating funds to build more hostels,” he said. (SJ)