The Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA) said yesterday that Higher Education authorities had agreed to discuss refor ms to the higher education sector - including private universities - with local academics.

Higher Education Minister S.B Dissanayaka, UGC officials and other ministry officials met with the union yesterday. "We agreed that that there should be a forum that constitutes academics, students and higher education authorities to discuss education policies," FUTA President Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri said.

He said topics under discussion would include the private universities bill as well as policies pertaining to university examinations and visiting lecturers and other matters. "We infor med the Minister that there should be a process that allows everyone to get the opportunity to express their views, and not a document coming from an unknown process in the for m of a bill," he said.

Minister Dissanayake had also requested the union to hand in a report on their demands including salary proposals. "There has been an unacceptable delay in the number of promises given. The minister agreed to look into the matter and expedite the process," he said.

Universities teachers from all local universities in the country went on a token strike last week in protest against the government's failure to fulfil their demands and the private education bill which was recently put on hold due to strong protests by university students and the academic community.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka