Leadership training for university entrants begins on Monday
Disna MUDALIGE
"The three week leadership training and positive thinking development
programme for University entrants will start next Monday," said Higher
Education Minister S B Dissanayake.
Addressing a press conference at the University Grants Commission (UGC)
yesterday, he said that about 10,000 students will take part in the
programme as the first group.
The residential training will be held in 28 islandwide training camps
under the Defence Ministry.
The minister requested all selected students to attend the programme
without unnecessary fear. He said he would ensure the safety of the
female students and reiterated that it is not equivalent to a military
training at any rate. The minister said that the content of this
programme is carefully designed by the experts on education and physical
and psychological health. He observed that the period of this training
programme will be an unforgettable and cherished period for the
participants.
He requested the students to come with a parent or an elder to their
respective camps on Sunday evening. The programme will be opened by
President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees with the participation of
3,000 students from surrounding camps.
Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr Sunil Navaratne said that the
programme is intended to be an orientation programme for the university
entrants to acquire universal education. The first group includes 5932
female students and 4,069 male students. The cost of the program is
expected to be about Rs 200 million.
The Kotalawala Defence University Vice Chancellor Major General
Milinda Peiris said that the 28 camps include 18 army, two naval, two
air force and four cadet and police camps islandwide. The timetable
consists of nine periods per day starting from five in the morning.
Prominence in the programme is given to leadership skills while
conceptual skills, strategic management skills, conflict resolution
skills, human skills will also be developed, he said. The students will
also be educated on the law of the land and personal hygiene. Group two
of this programme will include the rest of 12,000 students and their
training is scheduled to commence on June 16.
UGC Chairman Prof Gamini Samaranayake observed that this programme
will provide the appropriate solution for ragging. He said that the
commission will take stern action to ensure a ragging free university
environment by next year.
The Higher Education Ministry has also planned to offer a laptop to
each and every university student on a pay later basis when they are
employed. WiFi facility will be given for all university premises and
dongals will also be given to students. An English test will be held at
the beginning of the new academic year. A three month special English
and IT programme will be conducted at the beginning of the new academic
year for freshers. |