Sri Lanka University Teachers Oppose Proposed National Education Policy Framework

The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) in Sri Lanka is vehemently opposed to the Sri Lankan government’s proposed National Education Policy Framework (NEPF). FUTA says that the NEPF poses a significant threat to the long-standing tradition of free education in Sri Lanka.

The NEPF’s objective is to transform the education system into a profit-driven business. This would be achieved by withdrawing state responsibility for education, defunding state education, and abolishing the University Grants Commission (UGC). FUTA says that these reforms would prioritize profit over the quality of education and the welfare of students and educators.

In addition, the NEPF would introduce fee levies at the university level and withdraw state funding for higher education. FUTA says that this would undermine the principle of equal access to education, which has been central to Sri Lanka’s social fabric since independence.

FUTA is mobilizing opposition to the NEPF, joining forces with other stakeholders, including student unions and civil society organizations. They urge the government to withdraw its proposed reforms and prioritize the interests of the people over market forces.

FUTA calls on all citizens to join them in their struggle to preserve free education in Sri Lanka. They say that education should remain a fundamental right for all Sri Lankans, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.