No private universities

Uditha KUMARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE

Higher Education Minister Prof. Wishwa Warnapala told Parliament yesterday that the Government has not taken any policy decision to set up private universities in Sri Lanka.

The Minister said that the private universities established in Malabe is a BoI project which offers only foreign degrees.

The degree programs available at the Malabe Private University are recognized by the University Grants Commission.

The Minister was responding to a question raised by UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella.

Prof. Warnapala also told Parliament yesterday that the Government has given priority to improve the quality of university education.

Accordingly, a program called IRQUE (Improving Relevance and Quality in Undergraduate Education) has been commenced, he said.

Meanwhile, 20 new courses of studies have been introduced in universities and students have been encouraged to take up these new subjects.

The Minister said standards of Sri Lankan universities had declined during the last several years.

"We have already taken action to remedy this situation," he said.

The deterioration in quality and relevance of university curriculum was basically due to policies which had been followed by former academics and policy makers.

The Minister was responding to a question raised by UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella.

Kiriella said Sri Lankan universities were internationally renowned for their academic achievements several decades ago.

He said the University of Colombo was among the world's top 10 universities some time ago, but it has now come down to 75th in world ranking. Commenting on Kiriella's views, Minister Warnapala said when universities were first set up then academics and policy makers insisted that more priority must be given to traditional and oriental discipline.

This situation had resulted in the continuance of traditional discipline being taught in university, he said.