Students of the University of Colombo protested outside College House on Wednesday afternoon, demanding that the university and the Education Ministry address what they describe as long-standing shortfalls in facilities.
The protest was organised by the university’s main student union, which marched to the front of College House — the university’s administrative headquarters — before holding the demonstration there, Hiru News reported.
The demands
Students set out several demands, among them:
- Allocation of funds to build a fully equipped faculty complex
- Expansion of hostel accommodation
- Updating of higher education courses to match the modern world
Speaking to the media at the protest, students said only a small proportion of the university’s students receive hostel accommodation, and that even basic facilities at the Faculty of Technology are inadequate.
Talks so far
The students said the matters have been raised with both the university administration and the Education Ministry, but that no satisfactory solution has been reached. They said the campaign would continue until their demands are met.
Context
This is a separate protest from the torch demonstration at the University of Kelaniya over conditions at a women’s hostel, which took place on Tuesday. The two actions concern different universities and different grievances, though both turn on student accommodation.
Not reported
The filing does not estimate how many students took part, name any student union office-bearer or spokesperson, say how long the protest lasted, or state whether it disrupted university operations. It gives no figure for how many students currently receive hostel places or how many seek them, and carries no response from the University of Colombo administration, the University Grants Commission or the Education Ministry. No date for further action is reported, and no other verified newsroom had carried the protest at the time of writing.
