A flight of fancy
Friday 11th September, 2026 President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent announcement that the government would set up 50 new universities came while university teachers were urging the government to solve a host of issues affecting their institutions. The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) lost no time in responding to the President’s grand plan. FUTA Secretary […]
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake suggested the creation of 50 new universities, but university teachers expressed concern over pressing issues their institutions face. The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) highlighted the need to maintain, fund, and upgrade the existing 17 state universities, rather than hastily building additional ones.
Opposition figures and pundits have questioned the wisdom and prioritisation of these 50 new universities. FUTA organized a protest to encourage the government to tackle structural issues within the university system. The government's focus on this grand plan may overlook the existing problems. The current crisis in universities is not new, but the ruling party must act urgently to address the issues plaguing the state universities.
Previous administrations prioritized political agendas over the university system's well-being, increasing admissions without expanding academic staff and infrastructure. In 2025, the number of students has surged from 25,000 in 2015/16 to 45,000, severely straining the educational system. FUTA reported that there are only around 6,800 permanent academics in state universities, while 12,000–13,000 are required.
PhD holders are unwilling to accept the current salaries, which are heavily taxed. University teachers face staff shortages, brain drain, funding constraints, inadequate remuneration, insufficient infrastructure and research facilities, challenges to autonomy and academic freedom, deteriorating quality of higher education, and misdirected education reforms.
Due to consistent government attempts to address structural problems with political solutions, students in Asian countries generally finish their first degrees by age 21–24, while Sri Lankan graduates often graduate in their mid-20s, typically between 24–26 years. This delay negatively impacts graduates' economic, political, and social standing, placing them at a disadvantage in the global job market.
To counter these issues, the government should postpone its plan to establish 50 new universities and instead focus on improving the existing 17 state universities to meet current and future challenges.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
