SB, Basil in Joint Cabinet Memorandum for Post Graduate University

Presidential Commission for recommendations on Higher Education sector

August 31, 2012, 10:00 pm 

By Ravi Ladduwahetty, The Island

Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa have presented a joint memorandum to the Cabinet seeking the establishment of a special Presidential Commission for the higher education sector which will recommend reforms needed for the sector.

The proposed Commission will comprise top rung academics of the Ministry of Higher Education, University Grants Commission and the university academic community.

One of the key recommendations for the sector is the establishment of a post graduate University within the next four years.

The proposal for the post graduate university was among a host of proposals aimed at propping up the higher education sector, which is currently going through a massive crisis with universities closed following a strike by dons

The two Ministers have also said that the aim of these reforms will also be to recruit the highest calibre of teachers at all levels of education - be it primary, secondary or tertiary and provide them with attractive emoluments which will also motivate Sri Lanka born academic staff who are serving in the universities of foreign countries as well to return. The two Ministers have said, it would help the country to reach the hyped status of ‘Asia’s knowledge hub’.

have also said that it was the aim of the government to allocate sufficient funds to the education sector as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product which is in accordance with the other developed countries.

The government has recognized the need for a total revamp of the higher education sector and one of the aims of the State is to have a university system which will encompass all districts of Sri Lanka, the memorandum said.