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| Sunday, 30 January 2005 |
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Features |  |
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Tsunami university scenario : Uniting to lend a helping hand by Athula K. Samarakoon This time the white flags swaying at all the universities of the country symbolises the national tragedy caused by the tsunami. The student community of the country is among the most affected. The university students leaving aside their petty politics for a while, have joined forces to assist the governments relief and reconstruction project with their own innovative projects.
The country has thirteen national universities and more than 14,000 students as undergraduates. As the universities have students from all regions of the country, the tsunami's tragedy was felt by them in an even manner. More than 32 students and five staff members from the academic community are among the dead. Also there are more than 123 students in the missing list, while most of the students from coastal areas have lost their family members and properties. The students from the Colombo, Jayawardenapura, Ruhuna, Peradeniya and Kelaniya universities, within two days of the tragedy, sent a workforce of 2,000 students to the affected areas for clean-up assistance. Also the medical students have joined the government health programs or initiated their own Health camps and sanitary programs with or without sponsorships. The voluntary health services carried out by them have immensely contributed towards the control of maladies forecast by some foreign health organisations. The relief projects initiated by the students have not been confined to distribution of dry rations, clothing or labour oriented activities. Some student unions have designed both long term and short term action programs with the assistance of their academic staff assistance. Dr. Pradeep Randiwela, Dean Management and Finance Faculty with his student union prepared a project report which even the authorities are not still aware of. The project proposes to assist the affected families of the university students by providing them with a relief package. The major recommendation is to give financial assistance to 200 students. First the affected students are to be given a sum of Rs. 10,000 to be followed by a monthly scholarship worth Rs 2000 for a period of six months. The students at the South-Eastern University are however not in a position to pitch in with their assistance. The majority of the students being from Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee have almost all become destitute, and are in the Relief Camps or in their relatives houses. 'More than ninety per cent of the students have faced the tragedy. Many have lost their parents and properties. Their immediate need is money. They will not come for lectures for some time unless they are provided with hostels and other facilities' Senior Lecturer A. L. Abdul Rauff, Head, Economics and Finance Department said. The South-Eastern University has more than 1,500 students and their infrastructure is poor. The main problems have been the lack of hostels, computers and lecture halls. The fury of the tsunami has multiplied their problems. The authorises concerned should take immediate action to enable them to resume their academic studies. The Inter University Student Federation (IUSF) are behind most of the relief programs being implemented by the university community. 'The petty politics and rivalries are no more and the students are waging a united effort to save the nation' Duminda Nagamuwa the convenor IUSF told. Reconstruction work of the school have been underway and the university students have joined the projects. Also the Advanced Level students have been identified by their university counterparts and several projects as the segment who would receive their assistance in the form of text books, stationeries and uniforms. The IUSF has started a seminar series for A/L students in addition to their school reconstruction program. The country must rise from the ashes of the tsunami. The student community has a vital role to play to rebuild our nation. Fortunately, the university students who are the future doctors, engineers, professionals and intellectuals have extended their service to uplift the tsunami - hit nation. |
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