All youths given equal treatment - Dullas

Anushika RANADEWA

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has focused his attention on all youths in the country, Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

“The President is not only looking into needs of students attending universities, but also students unable to attend universities,” Alahapperuma said a ceremony to grant employment appointments to 44 graduates at the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority. The minister recalled the duties of the newly appointed candidates.

He said the appointments were given not based on political influence but purely on qualifications.

“Therefore a huge responsibility is cast upon you all to fulfill public needs,” Alahapperuma said. He said when providing jobs in areas like Kilinochchi, priority should be given to Tamil-speaking candidates and measures in this regard have already been taken. The minister said over 200,000 students do not get the opportunity to enter state universities.

The President is planning to implement a planning process for non-university students to enhance their future like students in universities, he said.

Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry secretary K A Thilakarathne and National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority chairman Chandana Arunadewa also spoke.