Aug 21, Colombo: The striking university lecturers in Sri Lanka are to hold a procession and rally in Colombo on Thursday (23) to create awareness and seek support for their demands.

The Federation of University Teachers' Association (FUTA) says that other stakeholders in the education sector would also participate in the protest.

FUTA Spokesperson Mahim Mendis said the protest campaign would draw attention to the short sighted policies of the government in relation to the education sector and the politicization of the system in the country.

The procession is to commence at 2 pm from three locations in Colombo; Vihara Maha Devi Park, Sampath Bank Head Office (near Nawaloka) and the Maradana Railway Station. The rally is scheduled to commence at 4 pm.

Meanwhile, the government decided to close all universities except medical faculties from today until further notice to prevent the current situation from getting worse due to the strike, which according to the government is politically motivated.

A group of university lecturers are engaged in a strike action for nearly two months demanding a 6 percent of the GDP budgetary allocation for the education sector and an increase in their salaries.