Action to upgrade University education

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

The Higher Education Ministry has taken action to upgrade the country's university system to create an environment to produce intellectuals required to turn Sri Lanka into the "miracle of Asia" as pledged in "Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma."

The Government intends to transform the country into the "miracle of Asia" under five-fold concept of naval, aviation, business and commercial, energy and knowledge hub, the last being the most important fact.

In order to meet this requirement, the Higher Education Ministry has to play a vital role to produce adequate intellectuals through the country's university network, Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr.Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne told the Sunday Observer.

However, the conditions prevailing in 15 universities in the country are not sufficient to produce enough intellectuals to meet the present day needs.

Early measures have to be taken to upgrade the quality of the university system by encouraging attitudinal change among the university students, lecturers and its employees.

At present the Ministry is making a close study on the problems existing in the university network, he said.

Dr.Nawaratne said if there is a lack of facilities in universities, it would be difficult to produce talented students. On the directive of Higher Education Minister S.B.Dissanayake, a decision has been taken to inspect all universities in the country and provide early solutions to the existing problems. We have already visited the Oluvil University, 'Eastern University and the faculty of the Eastern University in Nilaweli.

The Ministry is taking measures to overcome all shortcomings in these universities. The Ministry will also grant Rs.2 million to develop the library facilities in these universities as well, while it has been decided to provide more facilities to the medical faculty of the Eastern university.

"We have laid emphasis to produce a student who is suitable for an employment. In future measures will be taken to provide necessary knowledge to the ayurvedic students to gain employment in the tourism sector.

They will be taught English, German and French languages which would help them to promote the country's ayurvedic sector. Those who have followed archaeology will be utilised to guide tourists.

In addition, assistance will be provided to university students to upgrade their talents in relation to various fields such as arts, drama, literary the print and electronic media sectors," he said.

Dr.Nawaratne said of the nearly 130,000 students passed the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination, only 21,000 students are qualified for university entrance. A large number of students are deprived their right to gain university entrance.

Therefore the Government has decided to grant permission to International Universities to set up their branches here. The Ministry will call upon each international university to be set up here to offer 20 percent scholarships to local students.