The Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senevirathna - Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity to speak on amendments to the Universities Act, No. 16 of 1978, last amended by Act No. 17 of 2016. This Bill is important, with features centered on democratization and opportunity in the appointment of Deans and Heads of Departments.

¶ 02 This is a 46-year-old Act; institutional structures and processes evolve, so laws must be updated. The core reforms here are: the process of appointing Deans, term limits, and a defined procedure for removal; similarly for Heads of Departments. Do these amendments abolish democracy or university autonomy? The Opposition Leader invoked Sir William Ivor Jennings and claimed we are ending autonomy. In “The Road to Peradeniya,” Jennings controversially said, “A university should be a cultural oasis; but Ceylon is a cultural desert”—a statement hotly debated. Recall too that in 1982, Prof. Ediriweera Sarachchandra, a towering academic, was assaulted by political thugs on the day he launched his book “Dharmishta Samajayak.” Consider how academics were treated by that regime. Today, accusations that we are dismantling the Jennings tradition and autonomy are unfounded; these are democratic reforms and we welcome them.

¶ 03 On QS World University Rankings: QS measures research volume, employability, internationalization, learning environment, sustainability, etc. We have taken steps to improve rankings. For 2026, we made unprecedented allocations for higher education—Rs. 117,445 million. We increased Mahapola by 100 per cent to Rs. 10,000, and the general stipend to Rs. 9,000. We lifted freezes on recruitments: approvals for 1,284 academic and 1,868 non-academic posts—3,152 total. On infrastructure: Rs. 2,646.3 million for hostel renovations; Rs. 3,542 million for new research laboratories; Rs. 3,248 million for the Agriculture Faculty lab at Ruhuna—evidence of progress.

¶ 04 Some said we ignored Vice-Chancellor appointments and suddenly moved on Deans/Heads. In fact, a National Committee on Higher Education is functioning and has held multiple rounds with university academics and student representatives. In the next 2–3 months, we will publish the national higher education policy for public comment, ensuring transparency. This is not ad hoc; these discussions have been ongoing since around 2018, including within the academics’ associations. Further changes to the Act may follow—nothing to fear. We will proceed scientifically and transparently, with stakeholder input.

¶ 05 We hear allegations of politicized appointments. I prefer not to dwell on past regimes’ appointments, but let me note: establishing a new university or faculty requires clear criteria—needs assessment, staffing calculations, feasibility, etc. Look at how some universities were launched in the past, even without buildings for faculties. Politics, not criteria, drove those. Now we must provide staff and build facilities for those same institutions, and we are doing so, focusing on student welfare rather than political patronage. This Bill is a significant step that supports our policy framework to raise our universities in QS rankings. Thank you for the time.