Academic posts lie vacant as lecturers seek greener pastures

In an exodus that is damaging the higher education system and is expected to continue this year, some 900 university lecturers left Sri Lanka in 2023, according to the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) in Colombo.

Sri Lankan universities require approximately 13,000 academics in order to operate at optimal capacity, given the current university student population of around 155,000. However, with just 6,500 lecturers employed at public universities at present, according to figures from Sri Lanka’s University Grants Commission, the vacancy rate is around 50%.

The educators are leaving due to a combination of factors. The country is facing its worst economic crisis and the deepest recession since independence from Britain in 1948. According to a Central Bank of Sri Lanka report, the country recorded negative economic growth of -7.4% in 2022 and -3.8% in 2023.

Due to decreased government revenues, a new income tax structure was introduced, ranging from 6% to a maximum of 36% on monthly income. The new structure has been heavily criticised by professionals, including doctors and university teachers who pay the higher tax.

University lecturers have participated in recent tax protests alongside medical doctors and other professionals.

Diminishing academic workforce

FUTA spokesperson Charudaththe Illangasinghe, a senior lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts, said in 2022 more than 300 university lecturers departed from Sri Lanka, while nearly 900 left the country in 2023.

“An additional 1,000 university teachers are currently overseas on leave. Some of these teachers have already submitted resignation letters. Because of this, the available academic workforce is further diminishing,” he told University World News.

Illangasinghe anticipated a further increase in migration if economic challenges persist in 2024, predicting that at least another 10% of current university teachers may choose to leave the country.

According to a FUTA survey of 2,000 university teachers conducted in 2023, 25% indicated an intention to leave the country, citing tax policies and soaring inflation as key reasons.

The government recently approved a 25% increase in the study allowance for university teachers, with the adjustment to be reflected in their January 2024 salaries.

Illangasinghe said while the increment is beneficial for some university teachers, he stressed the overall increase falls short of meeting their collective needs.

Impact on universities

FUTA said in a recently released statement that universities currently face a severe crisis in funding and human resources. It highlighted the challenges of a significant brain drain and government policy, including lack of budget, restricting the recruitment of permanent staff.

Despite a rise in the annual student intake since 2017 from 30,000 to 45,000, academic staff numbers have not increased, and, in fact, the number of academics is rapidly decreasing due to retirements and the brain drain.

Probationary lecturers, who teach at universities while completing their PhDs, were also leaving the country as soon as they completed their PhD, rather than taking up full teaching positions.

The shortage of academic staff has led to an overwhelming burden on existing academics and has resulted in an imbalanced student-teacher ratio, according to FUTA. Students also face cancellations of lecture sessions and exam marking delays because of the shortage.

In addition to university teachers, professionals such as doctors, nurses, scientists, and IT experts are migrating to seek jobs overseas.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) said starting in 2022, over 1,700 doctors, including specialists, have departed the country. As a result, some 20 smaller hospitals have been forced to close. The GMOA is demanding the government take immediate steps to solve the health crisis in the country and to create an environment where professionals do not leave the country in droves.

According to recent Central Bank of Sri Lanka statistics, about 300,000 Sri Lankans left for foreign employment in 2023. In 2022 there were 311,269 departures over the whole year. In 2021 there were 122,264 departures.

Migration of students

Leading student migration consultancy agencies in Sri Lanka also report a significant increase in students seeking educational opportunities abroad.

Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged economically advanced nations in the Global North to provide compensation for recruiting skilled professionals from less affluent countries in the Global South.

Addressing the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the G77 and China on “Current Development Challenges” in Havana, Cuba last September, Wickremesinghe highlighted the brain drain from the Global South to the Global North, which, he said, was leading to a significant depletion of skilled manpower.

He underscored that this phenomenon poses a substantial threat to the development of science, technology, and innovation in the South.