News

News

UGC chairman increased salaries of academic staff ‘secretly’, says union
By Sachitra Mahendra
The Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya (SLNSS) is urging Deputy Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to take immediate action against the University Grants Commission chairman for approving the increase of salaries of academics based on what it called a ‘false report’.

The SLNSS claimed that two reports were presented out of which the second one was drafted ‘secretly’ by UGC chairman Prof. B.R.R.N. Mendis to be certified by the Cabinet. This report was presented to the Cabinet in June while the first one was presented in May.

The second report was not made public until some non-academic staff found out about it. It was made public on the Deputy Education Minister’s orders, the SLNSS said.

Although Rs. 18 m. was allocated monthly for academics’ allowances, the chairman is said to have presented the second report demanding an additional Rs. 10 m. for allowances of academic assistants, academic administrators and medical staff.

According to SLNSS, although a Cabinet paper on settling salary anomalies of non-academic staff was issued based on the first report, the anomalies of academics were taken for grant based on the second report requesting the additional allocation.

As the strike launched by non-academics went on, Mr. Gunawardena agreed to increase the non-academics’ monthly allocation of Rs. 15 m. by Rs. 4 m., Prasanna Liyanage, SLNSS general secretary told The Sunday Times.
However, UGC Vice Chairman Prof. L L Ratnayake denied the allegations and said the second report was the final report prepared by the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA).

“Both categories were given allocations in the final report drafted by SLIDA. The report was approved by a set of ministers not by the chairman,” he said.
Prof. Mendis is currently on an overseas trip and was not available for comment.

Top

Back to News