Foreign Universities won’t harm free education - PM

There is a school of thought that the establishment of foreign universities here will affect the concept of free education in the country, said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka.

“However, we continue to spend huge amounts of money to educate our children in foreign countries. If we open our doors to foreign universities here, we would be able to save and earn substantial foreign exchange that is vitally needed for the country,” he said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a scholarship awards ceremony for higher education in foreign countries held at the BMICH recently.

This function was organised under the auspices of the Vocational Training Educational Institute (Pvt) Ltd.

“I have seen institutes of this nature sending our students to foreign countries for higher education with the assurance that those foreign universities have been recognised by the Sri Lankan authorities. When I met some of those Sri Lankans in China, they said the medical degrees of these universities were not recognised in Sri Lanka. They were sent there by a company, the Prime Minister said.

‘We as Sri Lankans must think afresh and give some thought on those lives. Those qualified students who have failed to obtain university admission here must be given an opportunity to pursue their higher education by opening universities here. Despite efforts by foreign countries, we are not allowing them to establish universities here.

What is wrong for us to save our foreign exchange here and grant them degrees in Sri Lanka which they obtain in foreign countries by spending the much needed foreign exchange? What effect will it have on our free education system? he asked.