INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has revealed that 35 university lecturers who went abroad on study leave at the University of
Moratuwa alone were found to be in arrears of nearly Rs
51,649,961) as at 31 December 2021 due to breach of contract and bonds.It was also revealed that the amount due from 16 lecturers who had
breached contracts and bonds for 8 years was Rs
23,190,595.Referring to the recovery of bond values from lecturers who breached contracts and bonds, the Vice Chancellor said that 05 of the
above numbers have already been recovered and 12 will be recovered in installments
He also said that legal action has been taken against 11 persons.These facts were revealed when the COPE met in Parliament recently (08)
under the chairmanship of the Hon
examined at this committee meeting.The Vice Chancellor said that the University of Moratuwa offers only degree programs based primarily on
Mathematics, Science, Engineering and Technology.The Vice Chancellor said that students of the Medical Faculty of the University of Moratuwa
are currently studying for the next two academic years but no building has been constructed for the faculty so far
The Vice Chancellor also requested that the academic staff of the Medical Faculty be provided for the third and final academic year.He said
that although it has been decided to set up a professorial unit at the Nagoda Hospital, no allocation has been received for the acquisition
of the 15-acre Nagoda land in Kalutara which has been selected for the construction of the required buildings
He said that the government has instructed to obtain a bank loan for this purpose and that action is being taken accordingly.The COPE
Chairman instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission to look into the matter and take
immediate action.The COPE chairman also said that the appointment of non-academic staff to universities at the discretion of the political
University, has not yet obtained Cabinet approval and the Vice Chancellor stated that the necessary documents have been sent to the
University Grants Commission
The Chairman expressed his displeasure over the delay in the process and directed that the process be expedited.In addition, discussions
There was a lengthy discussion on the loss of ownership of this company which was registered as a company owned by the University of
the University of Moratuwa.The COPE Chairman also pointed out the importance of strengthening the legal framework of such companies
developing a general set of guidelines for university affiliated consulting firms to cover the entire university sector.The COPE Chairman
to Parliament and the holding of Audit and Management Committee meetings.Members of Parliament Rauf Hakeem, Jagath Pushpakumara, Jayantha
Samaraweera, Eran Wickramaratne, Major Sudharshana Denipitiya, Premnath C
Dolewatta and Secretary to the Ministry of Education M.N Ranasinghe, Vice Chairman of University Grants Commission Prof
Chandana Udawatte, Chairman of University Grants Commission Prof
Gunawardena and a group of officials were present at the committee meeting held.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk
