Fundamental change required in university system - SB

A fundamental change should be brought about in the university system to transform children passing out from them into a group of people with a high international demand, said Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake.

The minister said so addressing the gathering at the launching of the ministry’s official newspaper at the ministry on Wednesday. The minister said they have had to think anew about universities and higher education since higher education and universities in this country suffered a setback as regards new creations, and research after the 1950s and 1960s decades.

“As a result the recognition of our universities had internationally had drastically dwindled. If 50 percent of the children passing out of universities annually languished without employment every one of us have to bear responsibility for this tragic state of affairs.”

“It is easy for anyone to wash his hands of this problem by arguing that universities are not job factories and that the only duty of the universities is to integrate academics with society.”

The minister said, “But if these children do not have a demand and a price in society all of us including me as the minister, the Higher Education Ministry, UGC, University Vice Chancellors and all others involved in this process have to bear responsibility for it.”

The minister who said that universities today had suffered a great setback added that all governments which ruled this country were responsible for this plight.

Referring to the media, Minister Dissanayake said newspapers, television and radio channels are being launched in the country at a rapid rate. This was a welcome sign. However, the media was a subject which should be used in a very careful manner.

The media should be very careful about the message it gave to the country because it was a powerful medium which could do much good the country.