KNDU Bill will NOT be presented on Friday (06); Chamal announces in Parliament

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defence Chamal Rajapaksa on Wednesday (04) said the General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill will not presented to Parliament on Friday (06).

He said the decision was made to provide an opportunity to other MPs to express their views on the matter.

The General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill had drawn criticism from a number of sectors across the country, especially from teachers and principals.

One of the key demands of protesting teachers and principals is the immediate withdrawal of the General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) Bill .

A plethora of organizations representing various fields including the Students’ Movement for Free Education, Federation of University Teachers’ Associations, Unemployed Graduates Union, Centre for Labour Struggle, United Health Workers Union and Janabala Pawura have staged protests against this bill.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has promised to present the amendments to the proposed Kotalawela National Defence University Bill, Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said on Tuesday (Aug. 03).

Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said as a government that respects democracy and the people, attention will be paid to all factions of society.

The committee appointed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to study the proposed Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Bill has expressed its stance in a letter forwarded to to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The proposed amendments are:

• Kotelawala National Defense University will be regulated and controlled by the University Grants Commission

   

• The KDU Act should clearly state a fair and transparent system based on Z-score with regard to the admission of undergraduates who are not officers in the security sector

   

• Facilitating the grant of a loan on the basis of repayment from income earned while employed

   

• A civilian majority in the Governing Council