The March Of The Academics: The FUTA Marches From Galle To Colombo
By Dr. Liyanage Amarakeerthi from Amabalangoda –
The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations(FUTA) is continuing its trade union action into the third month now. Though the government’s response to the strike has been rather lukewarm with no concrete offers to the strikers so far, the strength of academics is growing steadily. The government, which is still narcissistically arrogant about its own prowess, seems to think that it can ignore the academics until they starve to death after missing their third salary. Yes. They were not paid for three months. Of course some academics who are better known as pro-state ‘yes-men’ than as true academics, did get paid but not the majority of academics who are known for their publications and international standard qualifications. There is a small minority of academics regularly coming to the state-owned media to criticize the striking academics. Everyone cows that these critics are just ‘housekeepers’ of the state. If one asks for their academic credentials they will run for their life. And as usual, some ministerial thugs are beating the drum which is all-too familiar to many of us by now: All these academics are NGO-Funded conspirators!
In the mean time, the FUTA has slowly been reaching the masses with its the most-socially significant message. That is none other than the demand for 6% of GDP for education. Well, it is not everyone’s expense of education. The FUTA demands that the state expenditure on education must reach at least 6% of GDP by the year of 2015 or so. Right now, it is about 1.86% which is the lowest in the region, and almost the lowest in the world! This slogan has captivated many people already including all major political parties. Even the UNP which is traditionally believed to be the local agents of global capitalism, also has been supporting the FUTA’s slogan of 6% of GDP for education.
Even in the heavy rain, people stopped by the road to encourage the marchers. The FUTA leadership led the march while the others followed. Regardless of their own political identities, the politicians walked under the banners supporting the slogans about education putting aside their party colors.
Soaking my cloths in rain, I finished the the first leg of the march from Galle to Ambalangoda with my spirited colleagues. When I finish this note, at 9pm, I am already feeling that I have been a part of a historical event.
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