The document discusses a study that assessed university students' awareness of Sri Lanka's Right to Information Act (RIA). The study found that only 38% of students were aware of RIA, while 42% were unaware. It also examined students' knowledge of procedures for requesting information, response times, and provisions for rejected requests. Most students acknowledged the importance of human rights but admitted lacking knowledge of RIA. This suggests a gap between what students know and should know about their rights. The study concludes it is necessary to change bureaucratic cultures of secrecy and that educating students on their rights is our responsibility. It limits generalizing the findings beyond the studied group of students.

1. Right to
Information
Excellent
opportunit
y for
disseminat
ion of
informatio
n
Presented by Dr. S. A. R. R. P.
Dissanayake
Gampaha Wickramarachchi
University of Indigenous Medicine

2. Chair
Prof Pubudu
Samarasekara & Dr
Hemalika

3. AWARENESS OF THE
RIGHT TO INFORMATION
ACT (RIA) AMONG THE
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN
SRI LANKA
Chithrananda W.A.D.
Dissanayake S.A.R.R.P.

4. Background
Right to Information
(RI)- Basic Human Right
Goal of RI- Ensure
transparency of the government
transactions

5. USA
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
provides that any person has the right to
request access to federal agency records
or information.
(https://foia.state.gov/learn/foia.aspx

6. India
Right to Information (RTI) Act emerged as a
powerful instrument for controlling corruption
in 2005
Literature Review
The challenges hindering the successful
implementation. Lack of awareness
(Ghuman, B.S., & Sohail, M. (2017).

7. To ensure transparency of the
government transactions

8. Statement of Problem
Are the people aware of
RIA in Sri Lanka?
India – Problem with successful
implementation
Lack of awareness (Ghuman,
B.S., & Sohail, M. (2017)

9. Statement of Problem
Are the people aware of
RIA in Sri Lanka?
Are the educated people
aware of RIA in Sri Lanka?

10. Active
Politics
University
Students
(Assumed to be)
Concerne
d about
Rights
National
Issues
Educat
ed

11. University
Students
Active
Politics
Nation
al
Issues
Educat
ed
Concerne
d about
Rights

12. Main
Objective
Assess the university
students' awareness on the
contents of RIA

13. Operationalization
University
students'
awareness on
the contents
of RIA
Procedure for
requesting
information
The time
duration for
responding to a
request
Provisions
granted if
information
sought for is
rejected

14. Main
Objective
Specific
Objective 1
Assess the
university students'
awareness on the
contents of RIA
Assess the university students'
awareness on the procedure for
requesting information

15. Specific
Objective 2
Specific
Objective 3
Assess the university students'
awareness on provisions granted if
information sought for is rejected.
Assess the university students'
awareness on the time duration for
responding to a request

16. Research
Questions
Are the students aware of the
provisions granted if information
sought for is rejected?
Are the students aware of the
procedure for requesting
information?
Are the students aware of the time
duration for responding to a request?

17. Main
Hypothesis
"The university students are aware of
the contents of the RIA in Sri Lanka"
Not Hypothesis testing based on
Statistical significance (Inferential
statistics)

18. Methodology
Selection: Purposive
(Non-probability)
100 undergraduates
Faculty of Applied Sciences
Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
Setting & Participants

19. Questionnaire
(Google form along with Informed
Consent)
Part 1: General Information –
Gender, Locality & Family Economic
status, how they find information
about RIA
Main Research Tool
Part 2: Binary choice format
Part 3: Likert scale - RTA Useful?
Able to describe? (Self rating)

20. " RIA is useful to me."
Strongly Agree
Moderately Agree
Little Agree
Self-rating
Questions

21. Participants' Profile

22. Urban
32%
Semi-urban
48%
Rural
20%
Locality
Distribution of Students on
Parents’ Income
Distribution of Students
on Gender
Distribution of Students
on Locality

23. Main Findings

24. YES
38%
NO
42%
No comments
20%
Distribution of
Awareness about RIA
ry of
Main
Finding
s

25. YES
38%
NO
42%
No comments
20%
Summary
of Main
Findings
Distribution of
Awareness about RIA

26. Distribution of How
useful is RIA

27. Triangulation of
Data
Analysis of
Subjective Type
Question (Why) –
Coding
Underlying cause
Students are driven
motives

28. University
Students
Active
Politics
Nation
al
Issues
Educat
ed
Concerne
d about
Rights
Conclusion

29. Not Aware?
Most acknowledge importance of
human rights, but admit knowledge
is lacking (Bardon & Boyon, 2018)
Gap?
What they know & What
they should know

30. Any public official who deliberately
delays or obstructs an application for
information, can be punished under the
Central Act.
Necessary to change bureaucratic
cultures of secrecy

31. Students not
aware of their
own rights?

32. Our
Responsibilit
y?

33. Main Limitation
External Validity
Generalizability?

34. References
Bardon, Y., Boyon, N., (2018),
Ipsos.digital platform
Ghuman, B.S., & Sohail, M. (2017).
Indian Journal of Public
Administration