SLF staff and students demand return of SLTTI

SLFI Technical Officer Neil Wijeweera, SLFI Senior Lecturer Dhanushka Gunathilake and SLFI Administrative Officer Chinthaka Kariyakarawana 

SLFI Technical Officer Neil Wijeweera, SLFI Senior Lecturer Dhanushka Gunathilake, SLFI Administrative Officer Chinthaka  Kariyakarawana and Jaathika Sevaka Sangamya Representative  Priyantha Caldera

By Shiran Illanperuma

Staff and students at the Sri Lanka Foundation (SLF) launched a protest recently over the ongoing takeover of the Sri Lanka Television Training Institute (SLTTI) by the Ministry of Mass Media and Information, demanding the immediate return of valuable land, facilities and utilities.

Clad in black bandanas symbolising their “silencing” by the Media Ministry, protesters were visibly agitated as speakers condemned the lack of action by the new regime to reinstate SLF ownership of the SLTTI which was taken over in 2011 by the previous regime.

“We supported Maithripala Sirisena’s presidential campaign under the Yahapalanaya slogan and were promised that ownership of the institute would be returned. However, with the second gazette due out soon there is still no action over our cause,” said Senior Lecturer Dhanushka Gunathilake.

Under the previous regime, the institute was taken over by the media ministry with leadership given to former Rupavahini CEO Devapriya Abeysinghe who, according to protesters, has so far not commented on or engaged with their demands.

Gunathilake says that when the institute was under the control of the SLF a variety of courses were conducted on cutting-edge subjects such as 3D animation and digital filmmaking. He also says that classes were limited to 5-8 students to maximise practical training with limited equipment.

However, after the Media Ministry’s takeover, speakers at the protest allege that many classes had been slashed with individual classes enlarged to accommodate more students, the result being a poorer quality of education. “The institute used to win many awards and our students went on to leading positions in their fields but you don’t see that from the SLTTI anymore,” said Gunathilake

Protesters set up camp outside the SLF premises declaring their intention to peacefully sit outside until their demands were met. Protest leader Gunathilake also said that they would be removing the Sri Lankan flag on the mast and replacing it with three black flags.

Regular classes will continue while staff and students conduct their protest.

Pix by Bhanuka Kirinde