Rs 5 billion worth of projects for Educational & Training Institutes
The Investment Promotion Ministry has identified locations to be offered to foreign investors to set up Educational institutes, in anticipation of attracting more than Rs 5 billion.
The establishment of a Southern campus of the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in Hambantota is one of the proposed projects on offer. An investment of over Rs 3 billion in expected from this project.
A plot of 40 hectares has been allocated for this project expected to commence in January 2015.
Among the courses to be offered are BSc Degrees in Industrial Information Systems, Manag ement, Quantity Surveying, Surveying Science and in Aviation Management ( Second Phase). Bachelor of Architecture is another Degree programme on offer.
Under the project, the campus should encompass staff residential and administrative units, state- of- the- art lecture theaters, state- of- the- art interactive lecture theaters with multimedia facilities, computer laboratories with staff rooms, cafeterias, furnished family guest houses, residential hotels, accommodation for all students, landscaping and green environment, sports facilities, auditoriums, and library facilities.
Another proposal is to set up an Education/Training Institute in the Gurugoda, Horana area, on a seven-acre plot. An investment of Rs 390 million is expected from this project.
This institute is to be a skills development center for electricians, plumbers, carpenters, brick layers, affiliated Bio and Engineering Institutes, nurses and adult care training and paramedic for foreign markets.
The institutes are expected to cater to Sri Lankan and foreign students.
A Maritime and Training Academy is to be set up on Crow Island, Colombo 15 and is expected to attract more than Rs 400 million, while a Maritime Education & Training Institute in the Seethawaka, Avissawella area are two other proposals.
The Academy at Crow Island is to focus on training of seafarers (Maritime officers and ratings) and will be equipped to provide professional and vocational maritime training that meet national and international demand.
A Homeopathic Training College and Homeopathic hospital is to be set up on a fiveacre plot in Kalawana, and an investment of Rs 650 million is expected from this project.
The project has been proposed in the wake of an increased demand for Homeopaths. Currently most students are compelled to undergo further training in Pakistan and India. The Educational Institutes are to be offered tax concessions and have been guaranteed expedited services. Deadlines for each of the services have been set, in order to commence the projects as soon as possible. The deadlines set for various services are as follows; Preliminary clearance for the Project Activity in 30 days, Environmental clearance in 14 -21 days, Electricity in 45 days, Water in 7 days, Telecommunication in 7 days, Import/Export Registration in 1 day) and Work Permit in 7 days .
The proposals were on offer during last week’s Business Forum coinciding with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. - Damith Wickremasekara.
Islandwide Second Official Language competition today
All-island competition for assessing “Second Official Language” will be concluded today at Al-Iqbal Balika Maha Vidyalaya, Colombo.
The competition is organised by the Humanities division of the Education Ministry covering schools islandwide, in order to assess Tamil language proficiency of Sinhala medium students and vice versa.
The event was originally organised in 2006 to enhance students’ proficiency in speaking, reading and writing in both languages. The competition will also include a singing competition, with a view to extending an insight into the Sinhala & Tamil cultures, which is a special event this year.