Entire University Grants Commission resigns following President’s request?

By: Isuru Parakrama

October 15, Colombo (LNW): The Chairman and members of Sri Lanka’s University Grants Commission (UGC) have collectively stepped down from their positions.

Their resignations were submitted to the President on Monday (15), reportedly following a request from the Presidential Secretariat urging them to vacate their roles.

Amongst those resigning were Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunga, who held the position of Chairman, and Senior Professor Chandana P. Udawatte, the UGC’s Vice Chairman.

The commissioners, appointed alongside them in 2020, also submitted their resignation letters to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, officially relinquishing their duties.

This move has drawn attention as the current UGC members were originally set to serve until March 2025.

Their early departure raises questions about the future direction of Sri Lanka’s higher education sector, particularly in a period where the education system faces numerous challenges, including ongoing student demands for reforms and the need for strengthened university autonomy.

Whilst the exact nature of decisions behind the Presidential Secretariat’s request for their resignation remains undisclosed, it has stirred speculation regarding potential shifts in the leadership of the country’s higher education governance.

With this sudden change in leadership, it remains to be seen how the government’s strategy will evolve in addressing the academic landscape and the ongoing demands for higher education reform.