Potential of school dropouts, university entry failures must be harnessed : Dullas

Sri Lanka cannot go forward unless there is a sustainable programme to resolve the problems of students who cannot enter university, Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

Delivering the keynote address at a ceremony held at the Ratmalana Vocational Technology University in connection with the dis- tribution of certificates to 283 engineers who had successfully completed the National Vocational Qualification course stage 5, Minister Alahapperuma emphasized that the solutions had to be found immediately to engage school dropouts and those who fail to enter university.

He said the primary and secondary level education in Sri Lanka was at a good standard, but the tertiary and technical education had not received the attention it deserves from the rulers and policy planners.

Sri Lanka has not produced a single graduate qualified in technical education because the university system is focused on producing civil administrators

The minister further said the university education had focused only on producing civil administrators, and not enough individuals with technical skills, and this situation has severely affected the country’s progress.

Minister Alahapperuma noted that Sri Lanka had failed to produce a single graduate qualified in technical education though the country had completed 120 years since its inception in 1893 by British rulers.

However, in a positive note, Minister Alahapperuma pointed out that the government had launched a programme to establish universities to train graduates in technology, IT and electronics engineering at international standards.