Plans to construct 12 university hostels

Sandasen Marasinghe and Irangika Range

Higher Education Minister SB Dissanayake stated that measures have been taken to construct 12 more hostels for the university students within the university premises this year. He also stated in Parliament yesterday that this measure was taken to provide better facilities for the undergraduates and by now money has been allocated for that propose.

The minister making this statement in response to a question raised by UNP MP Sajith Premadasa said that 17,953 undergraduates have been paid bursary in the year 2010.

The minister further stated that only 8868 university students have been paid Mahapola bursary during the academic year 2009-2010, while 7889 benefited in the previous academic year.

The Higher Education Minister further stated that in addition 51 scholarships were granted by the University Grants Commission in 2010.

He added that the government has allocated a massive amount of money to provide facilities for project guidance, IT and Technology, library facilities, food at concessionary rate, medical facilities, sports facilities etc.

In response to a supplementary question raised by MP Sajith Premadasa, Minister S.B. Dissanayake said that the salaries of university lecturers were increased by 36.25 percent last year by the budget proposals while the increment granted for the public servants was five percent.

He added that the salaries of lecturers cannot be increased overnight or by one budget.

He added that their salaries will be gradually increased.