KANDY - The University Grants Commission (UGC) is to introduce a Students’ Charter with a view to addressing the issues involving the university students and to maintain law and order in Universities.

Professor Harischandra Abeygunawardhana, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya and member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), at the 36th anniversary of the Kandy Branch of the Sri Lanka Cancer Society, said that once the Students’ Charter was ready the UGC would enforce it in all the universities of the country.

"The UGC is responsible for drafting policies and strategies for improving the quality of higher education. Indiscipline is among the many burning issues that the university administrations had to tackle. All universities and the public are concerned with the problem of students’ indiscipline and unrest prevailing in these institutions," he said.

"The university students are considered as the cream of the younger generations. They have got the precious opportunity to read for a degree in a university, after going through 11 to 12 years of hard work. They are the people who are trained to become the next generation of professionals, administrators, planners and technical experts and of course, the future leaders of the country.

"But, unfortunately, our universities are failing to maintain law and order and discipline. We have to provide an appropriate learning environment conducive not only for academic pursuits but also to acquire wisdom and good virtues to become members of the civilized civic conscious socially responsible educated class, who could then act as social reformers or agents to catalyse social transformation," Prof. Abeygunawardhana said.

He said maintaining discipline in the universities was an urgent necessity for the UGC. He said he chaired the Standing Committee on student disciplines, welfare and career guidance. Many initiatives had been discussed and planned. Once the Students’ Charterer was ready, the UGC would enforce it in all the universities. Necessary institutional arrangements to enforce the charter would be made and comprehensive programme involving the staff, students, police, legal system and relevant government and non-governmental organisations would be implemented to address this issue.

"Discipline among undergraduates could not be brought only by imposing tough and rigid rules and regulations and dealing with offenders in a Court of law. These were essential elements of such a programme, but we could not totally rely only on those factors. A multi-pronged programme should be adopted judiciously implementing several other complementary activities. Not only the university administration but also the support of the media and non-governmental organisations should be harnessed to get the expected results," he said.

Many universities did not offer enough opportunities for the young people as they were preoccupied with academic teaching and training. Except a few stereotype activities, they hardly get an opportunity to interact with the real world.