December 31, Colombo (LNW): The University Grants Commission (UGC) has received the green light to proceed with the recruitment of new lecturers for Sri Lanka’s state universities, following a series of high-level discussions with the government.
The approval comes in response to the pressing shortage of academic staff across various institutions, exacerbated by a significant number of lecturers leaving the country for overseas opportunities in recent years.
Professor Kapila Seneviratne, Chairman of the UGC, confirmed that the decision was made after two rounds of talks with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
The discussions focused on addressing the growing gap in faculty numbers, particularly as many experienced lecturers have sought opportunities abroad, leaving critical teaching positions unfilled.
In light of this, the government has agreed to approve the recruitment of new lecturers to fill 50 per cent of the current vacancies across the state university system.
This move is particularly significant for the newly established medical faculties, which are facing an acute shortage of qualified academic staff.
These faculties, essential to the country’s growing healthcare needs, have been struggling to recruit sufficient lecturers to maintain the quality of education and training for aspiring medical professionals.
Professor Seneviratne expressed optimism that this new hiring initiative would go a long way in alleviating the staff shortages, ensuring that the universities can continue to provide quality education to students across Sri Lanka.
He noted that the recruitment process will focus not only on filling existing vacancies but also on attracting talented academics to bolster the teaching capacity of the nation’s higher education institutions.
