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| Friday, 25 July 2003 |
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by P.D.A.S. Gunasekera, Ratnapura group corr. The Mahapola scholarship scheme was sponsored by late Minister Lalith Athulathmudali, in 1981 for 422 scholars of Higher Education. This was the first milestone in the history of Higher Education in Sri Lanka, said the Smallholding Development Minister Susantha Punchinilame. He was addressing a gathering of schoolchildren, scholarship recipients parents and the public, at the Samurdhi Hall of the Co-operative Rural Bank Union, in the New Town, Ratnapura last week. In his message to the recipients, he said that a lot of unsavoury incidents had been reported in universities recently. Such situations should be voided, by all who had got the opportunity to enter campus, the Minister said. He urged the scholarship recipients to pursue their studies without involving themselves in politics of any colour or party, which had become the 'bane of the university life', ruining both the individual and the society. Ven. Bengomuwe Dhammadinne Thera Viharadhipathi Pelmadulla Viharaya and the custodian of the Potgul Viharaya, said that Education in its correct perspective meant both 'goodness leading to noble life, knowledge and wisdom'. It was for that purpose the scholarship scheme was sponsored and created by the late Minister Athulathmudali. Let that worthy purpose of bringing into being good and decent men and women be fulfilled, without using it for evil purposes the Thera urged. Provincial Council Member M.A. Justin, said that in 1959-60, only university students in the lower income group (Rs. 150/-) received assistance and that too, in the form of a loan repayable after employment. But under the Mahapola scheme 90% of the students received 'non-repayable' assistance, during their whole course in the university, he said. |
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