President to overseas university academic staff:

Come back and serve country

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the university academic staff who are overseas on scholarships and other engagements using the common man's money to return to the island and serve the motherland to improve the educational level of universities.

The President said those who have gone abroad are duty bound to serve the country as the money spent to send them is the hard - earned money of the common man. He said it is their duty to utilise their knowledge, thanks to free education, for the betterment of the country.

"The academic staff are badly needed here to impart what they learnt to the lesser fortunate children here and assist them to raise the standard of university education to move with the present day needs," he said.

President Rajapaksa said so while participating in a progress review observation tour of the Higher Education Ministry yesterday.

"Come back and serve the country. You are sent overseas on scholarships and various other programmes with the hope that you would share your knowledge to improve the educational standard of our children. You are duty bound to serve the motherland because you have been sent on the hard earned money of the common man," the President said.

Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake said most of the academic staff abroad are keen to come back and rejoin the university system if they get government approval.

"Most members of the academic staff left the country owing to the reign of terror. After liberating the country from terrorism, most have expressed their desire to come back," he said.

The minister said most staff abroad on scholarships will have to pay a fine for breaking the agreement they signed.

The President said the government was ready to provide them relief and advised authorities to form a methodology to assist them.

President Rajapaksa said allocations for higher education and the uplift of the universities should be utilised properly.

"Academic staff should be provided the latest knowledge. Universities should be converted to research and experiment centres. Then only the university education links with the ever - changing and advancing world," he said.

President Rajapaksa told the authorities to take measures to solve drinking water and hostel issues at universities.

A graduate should be job - oriented and equipped to take up any challenge in the competitive environment, the President said.

He said a graduate should be a person of quality, equipped with multiple skills and capable of taking the country forward.

He said there should be a link between universities and other institutions engaged in research and development.

"The academic staff should also be dedicated to create a capable student community enriched with knowledge and skills. Universities and academic staff are path finders to the modern world," the President said.

He said modern undergraduate courses should be introduced to the university system with immediate effect including petroleum technology, space science, aeronautical engineering, robotic etc. Minister Dissanayake said the university system was blossoming and new undergraduate courses have been introduced for the first time to university education.

"The entire university education will undergo a radical change soon to meet the country's requirements . In line with this new trend, new experiments have to be carried out at universities. Our universities have to match top universities in other countries," he said.