University entrants course not cancelled

Sandasen MARASINGHE

The leadership training and positive thinking development training courses for new university students will commence on May 23 as scheduled under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s patronage at the Temple Tress without any change, said Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake.

He made this observation at a press conference at the University Grants Commission yesterday refuting rumours that the training course was canceled.

Dissanayaka also said that a certain group had stated that the training course will be canceled since a petition has been filed before the Supreme Court against the course. The minister added that the Attorney General has instructed them to continue with the course.

Minister Dissanayake asked parents of 10,000 students who will undergo the three week training course, to hand over their children to 28 centers by May 22 as all preparations have been made to conduct the course.

He added that the response of more than 99.9 percent of students is positive to this course. The 28 centers located at camps of security forces have put off their ordinary training programmes to allow for the undergraduates course.

The trainers have been trained and a massive preparation has been made to commence the course with an expenditure of more than Rs. 200 million. Under the first stage, 10,000 students will be provided with training. For the rest of the students, the training courses will commence in June.

At the end of this training, an English training course will be held at district level. The American government has agreed to provide 10,000 scholarships to these students to improve their knowledge of English.

University Grants Commission Chairman Professor Gamini Samaranayake and Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Navarathne also participated in the press conference.