🚨 Worrying Decay in Sri Lanka's State University System

• The alarming systematic decline of the island's State university system was recently highlighted by a physical clash between two student batches at the University of Ruhuna over a cricket match score, leading to arrests. • Beyond trivial conflicts, many universities, especially outside the Western Province, are plagued by student unrest, indefinite closures, and widespread inhumane ragging of newcomers. Exceptions include Colombo, Moratuwa, and Sri Jayewardenepura. • Despite the generous taxpayer-funded free university education legacy, the system disproportionately benefits the upper middle class. Financial aid schemes (e.g., Mahapola) are reportedly misused through understated income declarations and bribery of officials. • Pathetic public finances, with revenue consumed by salaries and interest, leave little for meaningful improvements, contributing to substandard hostel facilities and poor canteen food across the 19 State universities, which now cater to 490,000 students. • The article stresses caution regarding further expansion, urging priority be given to resolving existing deficiencies and calling for serious evaluation and introspection by the academic community to drastically improve standards.