University officials should spend money responsibly- S B

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

University administrators should spend the money allocated by the government for the development of universities responsibly, said Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake.

He was on an inspection tour of the Vavuniya Campus recently to find out problems faced by academic and non-academic staff, and students.

"Last year, the entire university network has spent only 60 percent from the allocated money. This percentage should be increased to 85 percent this year," the minister said. The Higher Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission have given priority to develop the Vavuniya and Trincomalee Campuses of the Jaffna University this year. "The ministry grants funds directly to the Vavuniya Campus to develop facilities. The Higher Education Ministry has already allocated Rs. 573 million for the development of the Jaffna University and Rs. 54 million for the development of sports facilities in the Vavuniya Campus," said the minister.

"In addition, the ministry has also taken measures to provide more funds to develop the Jaffna University under World Bank, Indian and Quate projects," he said.

Currently, there is a conflict situation in many universities regarding legislation to provide bank loans for university students to follow courses such as CIMA and Chartered. There is political power behind this conflict situation.

The JVP has divided into two groups and the new group has taken measures to create a conflict. Recently this group met former LTTE cadres currently studying at the Jaffna University," said the minister.

The minister added that Western countries want to divide Sri Lanka. "From the past the Tamil people never let anyone divide the country.

After independence, political leaders never tried to develop the Northern province.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the one who wanted to do it. There is a rapid development drive currently going on in the Northern and Eastern provinces," he said.