Lanka loses Rs 20,000 m for higher education migration

Dinesh de Alwis

Foreign Exchange to the value of nearly Rs 20,000 million is draining out of Sri Lanka to foreign countries due to student migration for higher education.

Reputed international universities will be established here to facilitate 9,000 students who are unable to enter the local universities, Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake said addressing a gathering at the Rajarata University.

Discussions are underway to set up a branch of India’s Manipur University and one Chinese national university branch in Sri Lanka.

Both universities have agreed to allocate 20 percent space for local students with financial difficulties, he said.

“Those international universities would be subject to our conditions. They should grant 20 percent share from the total intake as Scholarships for poor local students. That is our first condition,” the Minister said.

He also opened a new building constructed for the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences costing Rs 680 million.