SL to seek more...

The Education Times learns that Sri Lanka was seeking to obtain some 30 more scholarships in addition to the existing scholarships offered. Sri Lanka will also request for branches of selected Pakistani HE institutes in Sri Lanka.

Joint Research programmes and staff exchange programmes between the two countries are also to be proposed. (DW)

"If you go to the former communist countries, you will find the largest number of private universities there. Even in China it is the same," he said.

"We have to get out of these outdated modes of thinking, if we are to progress," he added.

He further said that our system of Education must keep pace with the expansion of horizons of knowledge and that, our children coming out of the Education system must be fully prepared to face the world.

He said the project will empower the school community to face future challenges and upgrade the school system in line with modern world Education sector transformations.

The project opening was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Harsha De Silva, Education Ministry Secretary, Sunil Hettiarachchi and CodeGen Institute Chief Executive Officer, Dr Harsha Subasinghe. solutions to overcome such issues and what we should do. They should study these things in-depth."

"We are now discussing with the Ministry of Education, to include a special subject in the School Curriculum for National Reconciliation and Unity. During my term in office, I introduced “Peace Education” as one of the subjects. But the next government discontinued it. To prevent such an occurrence this time, we are going to make it a subject to be studied and also faced at examinations,” she said.

She also pointed out that, during recent discussions she had with relevant stakeholders, it had come to light that, although a majority of Sinhala and Tamil students like to learn each other’s language, lack of qualified teachers remains a major obstacle to achieving this task.

Prof de Silva said the applicants should clearly indicate the campuses he/she is seeking entrance to, as there is a facility where students will be automatically chosen to a Faculty, depending on his/her marks.

"Last time there were some 1,300 appeals from students who had not marked all their preferences, in keeping with their results," he said.

"Some students apply only for a few universities, assuming they will get selected. However, in the event a person is not selected to the chosen university, they will not be automatically selected to the next eligible university, if they have not marked it, and someone else may have been selected already," he said.

This year the intake has been increased to 25,000 students, a 10% increase from last year’s intake. This is due to the introduction of the Technical subject. (By Damith Wickremasekara).