Private Universities in Lanka by next year
Rasika Somarathna
Fee levying Universities in Sri Lanka is on the cards with a 20
percent share from the total intake being allocated as Scholarships for
needy local students, Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake said.
The Minister Sunday hinted that introduction of such a market-oriented
mechanism to the existing University education system may come into
effect by no later than next year.
He said Sri Lanka would open its doors to fee levying globally
established International Universities.
Undergrads protest
Dinesh De Alwis
A tense situation prevailed
inside the Peradeniya University after Higher Education Minister
S.B. Dissanayake opened a new building for the Law Department.
Several students of the Peradeniya University surrounded the
Minister and protested displaying placards.
The protest was organized against the proposed plan to establish
private universities in Sri Lanka, Inter University Student
Federation Convenor Udula Premaratne said.
Meanwhile, the Higher Education Ministry issuing a press release
said Minister S.B. Dissnayake referring to the students protest
at the time he visited the Peradeniya University had said he was
open for discussion with students.
Minister Dissanayake had invited a group representing the
students to come and meet him for talks on the subject but no
one had come forward.
He had also said students of the unions could talk to him over
the telephone but there were some problems about student ragging
and assaulting fellow students which were illegal.
The law of the land was the same for everyone but those who work
with political agendas had to be dealt with by the university
authorities when they violate the law, the Minister had also
said. |
Minister Dissanayake made the observation addressing Peradeniya
University graduates at their 2009 external degree convocation at the
BMICH Sunday.
The Minister said students from Asian nations may come to Peradeniya
under this scheme next year.
In Sri Lanka the majority of those who qualify for University
entrance are unable to get places on campus due to the lack of space and
facilities.
The Minister pointed out that although 130,000 students were eligible
to enter Universities this year, the institutions had only capacity to
take in 20,000.
Dissanayake said the Government intends to change the trend and allow
greater access for students to engage in higher education by enhancing
related logistical facilities.
While expanding the intake, authorities would also focus in enhancing
quality standards with students being given exposure to best existing
practices in the global sphere, he added. He was of the opinion that
private investments in University education could produce greater
benefits including enhanced access to higher education and greater
competition.
The Minister also emphasized the need to re-model the country’s
higher education system to meet existing job market requirements and
said moves were afoot to make the system need based-driven in accordance
with prevailing economical trends.
According to the Central Bank, admission to University education is
extremely competitive in Sri Lanka and not more than 14 percent of those
who qualify could gain admission to Universities.
It is of the opinion that allowing private Universities to be
established could provide more opportunities, enhance competition and
bridge the skills gap in the country.
However the efforts to set up such facilities by various Government’s
so far has faced snags, mainly due to pressure from some student groups
backed by certain political elements. |
