News
Candidates expect President to provide satisfactory solution
A section of the law examination candidates are set to meet President Rajapaksa next Wednesday to demand the much delayed solution to their plight.
Neethi Adyapanaya Surakeme Sishya Ekamuthuwa (NASSE) president Nayaka Wannigama said the candidates have split up into several groups and are trying to get a solution to their problem.
Law examination candidates took to the streets on February over the drastic reduction of the intake to the Law College and over several other allegations. The NASSE claimed that the average number of students enrolled at the college for the past 30 years was 225. However this year the number was 177 and the candidates demanded an explanation for this reduction.
Meanwhile Venn. Ittekande Saddhatissa Thera who is in the organisation that is lending its support to the candidates said that they have decided to go to Temple Trees again next week to obtain a solution to the unaddressed issue.The same group met at President’s House last Monday (3) as they were promised a solution. However since the President had gone abroad the group was disappointed. The aggrieved students disrupted traffic near the Liberty Cinema roundabout later that day by sitting in the middle of the road.
“This will be the last time we are going to meet the President on this matter and we hope to obtain a favourable solution,” he said adding that they hoped to camp in front of Temple Trees till their demands are met. Some 300 to 400 students are to participate backed by 20 to 30 Buddhist monks.Ven. Ittekande Saddhatissa Thera said this time they have fixed a day when the President is expected to be at his residence. “Though Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem has no idea how to handle this situation we know that the President will provide us with a favourable solution,” he added.
Meanwhile Mr. Wannigama of the NASSE said they are looking at a different approach to the problem. “I believe that a proper investigation into the irregular activities that are taking place within the Law College should be conducted for this problem to be sorted out. What we are asking for is a clear resolution, one that will not victimise future candidates of this examination,” he said adding that the Bar Association is able to do this.
A committee was appointed by the association to look into the matter. “Though the committee was appointed nothing was done. Following continuous questions from its President Upul Jayasuriya we got to know that the committee will be called next Saturday (15) for a discussion. We are hopeful that something positive will happen after that,” Mr. Wannigama said.
The NASSE calls upon the Government to investigate all the malpractices that are taking place in the institution. It claims that the course was cancelled abruptly and a new General Knowledge, IQ and language paper which was considered incompatible previously, reintroduced to the examination.