WB boosts education

US$ 40 m for capacity building:

Harshini PERERA

Sri Lanka needs to enhance the capacity of the higher education system, institutions and human resources to deliver quality higher education services to meet with the equitable social and economic development needs of the country, World Bank Lead Education Specialist Dr. Harsha Aturupane said at the Higher Education for the Twenty First Century project introduction at the BMICH yesterday.

The World Bank has designed this project with an investment of US $ 40 million to enhance the quality of higher education delivered by the institutes and knowledge acquired by students in the country.

He said that the establishment of quality assurance and accreditation system for the higher education sector is vital.

There is a special necessity to emphasise on the promotion of relevant and quality teaching and learning system in the higher education sector. It was also discussed that innovative proposals should be presented which can enhance the employability of graduates.

"The higher educational institutes should widen their presence among every region such as Central, Northern, Sabaragamuwa and Southern provinces. There are less or only one Advanced Technical Institute (ATI) located in these districts which need to be supplied with few ATIs," Aturupane said.

Sri Lanka has not allocated adequate investment for higher education institutes whereas the employability of graduates in Sri Lanka is recognized as a need which should be addressed with necessary investments.

There should be a credit transferring method introduced between private and public higher education institutes.

This will provide an opportunity for the students to access more higher education opportunities.

"Human resources development among academic staff, managerial, administrative staff and accounts staff is needed while making more research and development opportunities available for students," he said. If Sri Lanka needs to head towards a knowledge economy, some legislative decisions would have to be altered. Some legal framework such as allowing certain universities to perform independently but under the regulations of Higher Education Ministry will positively impact on the higher education in the country.