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| Sunday, 5 June 2005 |
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Effective steps vital to achieve objectives of graduate scheme In the event the government does not take effective steps to correct the shortcomings the objectives of the graduate employment scheme would not be achieved, said the President of the Joint Union of Employed Graduates - 2004, Chandana Suriyaarachchi. The government hopes to bring about a radical change in the efficiency in the government sector with the recruitment of 40,000 graduates. However, the graduates were not made permanent and were not given duties or responsibilities in the institutions where they were attached, he said. If the situation continues these graduates too will get into the same rut, he said. According to Suriyaarachchi, the government has so far failed to provide permanent employment to all graduates. Firstly, the government agreed to provide permanent employment to all graduates before January 1 and then March 1 and again May 21 and finally by June 30. If the government fails to fulfil the promises by June 30, the union will take tough action and launch an islandwide protest, Suriyaarachchi said. Trainee graduates face serious problems due to the bureaucracy. Some of them do not receive even the Rs. 6,000 allowance on time. Trainees of the education office in Mawanella received their April allowances only on May 30. Maternity leave and some other basic rights are also denied in some instances. Suriyaarachchi said that there are practical difficulties in accommodating 40,000 graduates in the government service at once. "But we have discussed the matter even before the UPFA government took office with individual parties and have submitted proposals. The main reason for the shortcomings is due to the authorities not welcoming suggestions of the other parties", he said. Commenting on the allegations Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that nobody should give a time frame and threaten the government to implement the program because the UPFA government started the programs with the best of intentions taking into account the grievances of unemployed graduates. This is a massive and complicated program and therefore there are practical difficulties. The government has to follow the existing recruitment procedure in every government institution. For example, we were to hold a competitive examination to recruit teachers prior to May 21 but due to various constraints in the Education Ministry it was eventually held on May 21. Over 50% of the trainee graduates will be absorbed into the teacher service and it is planned to give appointments by July 1. But that solely depends on the date the Examinations Department releases the results. In other ministries 60-70% of the interviews for graduates have been completed. The Deputy Minister said that all trainee graduates will be given permanent government jobs. GW |
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