by Saman Mallawarachchi

Undergraduates of the Eastern University yesterday held Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella incommunicado for hours till he agreed to give them a written assurance that he would solve the problems they were faced with.

The minister arrived at the university around 9.30 am to declare open several buildings, but the students stopped his car at the entrance to the university, demanding that their grievances be redressed. The students surrounded the minister and shouted slogans condemning the government for not attending to the problems of the undergraduates. They threatened that they would not allow the minister to attend the ceremonies scheduled for yesterday unless he agreed to solve their problems.

When the beleaguered minister agreed to listen to their problems the students accompanied him to the students’ canteen.

The students showed the minister the facilities they had. During the discussion the students forwarded ten problems, demanding solutions forthwith. Some batches of students said that they had never got the opportunity to attend at least a single lecture conducted by a professor. The dearth of academic staff was a problem faced by not only the Eastern university students but also undergraduates countrywide, they said. The students complained that they did not have facilities for sports and aesthetic activities. The minister, after listening to their complaints, agreed to allocate funds to the university. He also promised to instruct authorities to construct some more new buildings so that students could attend lectures.

Minister Kiriella also agreed to solve ten problems raised by the students, but the undergraduates insisted that an assurance be given in writing. As the minister was reluctant to do so the students surrounded the canteen and threatened that they would not let him to go till he agreed to give them a written assurance. Finally, the minister did as they said. The students got an additional secretary of the ministry of higher education, too, to sign the same document as witnesses.

While leaving the canteen the minister blamed the Chairman of the University Grants Commission and Vice Chairman for not being present at the event.

Finally, the students allowed the minister to declare open the new buildings. The minister said that he would meet the students on Aug 29 with the UGC Chairman with a view to solving their problems.

Courtesy:The Island