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Plans to increase university intake upto 20,000: Minister

by Nadira Gunatilleke

Plans are under way to increase university intake up to 20,000 within the next five years. About 100,000 students qualify for higher education but only 12,000 students get university education, said Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Dr. Karunasena Kodithuwakku.

Answering questions posed by children during the launching of UNICEF's `The State of the World's Children - 2003' report at the BMICH, Colombo, yesterday, the Minister said English will be taught to build national unity.

There were 400 vacancies at Royal College, Colombo for year one students last year. About 4,000 applications were received. This is a good example of the rat-race among parents to popular schools. This rat-race makes children suffer, and creates hatred and competition among them, he said.

There is an excess of over 6,000 Sinhala medium school teachers. A total of 3,000 Tamil medium teachers will be sent to the North-East. Still, there is a Tamil medium teacher shortage in estates. This problem will be solved, Dr. Kodithuwakku added.

Modern facilities will be provided within the next five years to 575 schools which have arts, science and commerce streams to reduce the demand for popular schools. Another 700 schools will also be upgraded, he said.

Mass Communication Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar said the Sri Lanka Rupavihini Corporation (SLRC) has made arrangements to cater to Tamil viewers and Tamil programmes are screened on the `Eye Channel'.

All deposits belonging to the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) had been spent and the SLBC and SLRC were running at loss. Within the last 10 months, the loss at SLBC has been brought down. Earlier Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited was also running at loss. Now it is making profits, he said.

"Therefore we can look forward to increase and improve children's programmes broadcast over state electronic media," Markar added.

UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Ted Chaiban said the theme of this year's report is `Child Participation'. The theme focuses on the responsibility of adults in seeking perspectives and opinions of children and taking them seriously.

He stressed the importance of having a policy for children.

Social Welfare Ministry Secretary Viji Jegarasasingam, Probation and Child Care Commissioner Ashoka Peiris, National Child Protection Chairman Prof. Harendra de Silva, Government and NGO officials engaged in child-related activities and children from Sinhala and Tamil communities were also present.

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