Twenty percent students cannot write - Prof. Arangala

Manjari PEIRIS

Twenty percent of school attended students in Sri Lanka cannot write or sign. Having understood these obstacles, the country should proceed fast, Prof. Ratnasiri Arangala of the Sri Jayawardenapura University said.

Professor Arangala was addressing entrepreneurs of the Vidatha Program in the Western Province, at Maharagama. He said Sri Lanka, having had immense resources could achieve much due to lack of proper guidance. “It is important that we create diversities in our thinking patterns. Also to overcome poverty science is very essential,” he said.

“Our people do not adhere to rules. They disregard law. People dump garbage where there are boards saying Garbage disposal here is prohibited. Our people do not know how to live in society, there is no law or discipline,” he said.

A government should provide resources and infrastructure facilities to people especially in the fields of education, agriculture and health. The Provincial Councils should always work very close with the Government.

The Provincial Councils should uplift the status of schools at Provincial Level which is not happening right now, Homagama Provincial Council member S. Hapuarachchi said.

“Weekly, hundreds of thousands of people in the USA lose their jobs. In 2008, 4.3 million people have lost employment in the USA and six million people in the Europe due to the economic instability sweeping in the world. To avoid this situation, Sri Lanka should produce its necessities within the country as much as possible.

This method would help control commodity prices, appreciate the value of the rupee and also uplift the economy.” said Science and Technology Minister Professor Tissa Vitarana.

The Minister stressed that Sri Lanka should dispel new-liberal policies. Promoting self employment is vital and the Ministry coordinates with super markets to offer opportunities for Vidatha entrepreneurs to sell their products at those markets, he said.