Soft skills for varsity entrants

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Higher Education Ministry will launch an English, IT and soft skills training program for university entrants to improve their skills.

The Ministry has already identified 310 training centres countrywide to provide this training. The inaugural program will commence on July 15 at these training centres, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

He said the Ministry will conduct this program in collaboration with Education Ministry, Colombo University, Kelaniya University and the Presidential Program Unit. The Education Ministry has provided English teachers while IT trainers have also extended their patronage to this program. Dr. Nawaratne said after the university entrants complete their leadership training program, they will be given the training.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has decided to provide a laptop computer with internet facilities to each university entrant. The Ministry has negotiated with some suppliers to provide these laptop computers to students at concessionary rates.

As a result, the Ministry has been able to provide laptop computers worth about Rs. 120,000 for Rs. 71,500 and Rs.90,000 for Rs. 57,000. Each computer will consist of Microsoft word 2010 professional package, he said.

Following a request made by the Ministry, the State and private sector banks have agreed to grant concessionary loans with an annual interest rate between 10 - 12 percent to university entrants to purchase laptop computers. The students can also purchase them under the easy payment scheme of 36 instalments, he said.