Salary hike for varsity academic staff under study

by L.S. Ananda Wedaarachchi

The government has agreed to increase the salaries of university academic staff, said Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratna. He said that a committee consisting of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman, Prof. Gamini Samaranayake, Higher Education Ministry Secretary and representatives of the Federation of University teachers (FUTA) is studying the issue.

He said that the committee hopes to complete its assignment soon.

The FUTA launched a one-day token strike last week to draw attention of the UGC and the government on the low salaries of the university academic staff.

According to the FUTA president Prof. Sampath Amaratunga the salary of an assistant lecturer on probation is Rs. 26,000 and that of a professor Rs. 50,000. The FUTA president said that the government has agreed to increase the salaries of the academic staff in universities from next year in Budget 2011.

“We are demanding that they be granted a 25 percent salary increase as interim relief until provision is made in the budget."

UGC chairman Prof. Gamini Samaranayake declined to make any comment in this regard as he was also a member of the academic staff.