State Minister of Higher Education Dr. Suren Raghavan, addressing a press briefing held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) today (31) under the theme of “Collective Path to a Stable Country” announced plans to engage in discussions with the university non-academic staff unions currently on strike over various demands.

Adding to his remarks, the State Minister stated,

“University non-academic staff are currently on strike, which is unfortunate as it impacts the future generation of students. The strike is causing a direct financial loss of around Rs. 150 million and wasting of 1.8 million man hours. Therefore, our government must not waste any more time.

To meet the demands of the trade unions, including a salary increase, Rs. 1.1 billion is needed for the next six months. I have requested for a report on this matter, and discussions are underway with the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury to find solutions.

Discussions with the union leaders currently on strike are scheduled for next Monday (03). We hope to reach a mutually agreeable solution. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the government are committed to providing the best solution to the issue..

Additionally, higher education in this country needs to evolve. At the recent Global Higher Education Summit, it was clear that many countries believe the higher education system must adapt to modern changes. I believe we should follow this direction.

Legislation to establish the National Higher Education Development Commission is being prepared. Our goal is to develop our higher education system so that students can pursue advanced studies without needing to go abroad.