Branches of Foreign Universities should establish here
Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena said in Parliament yesterday (1) that a national agreement should be made for a radical change in education.
The Minister said this while joining the debate on the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment.
At present, many private educational institutions offer private degrees in collaboration with foreign universities. The media minister also pointed out that these institutions are not subject to any regulation by the government.
The number of students studying in countries like India, Bangladesh and Nepal has increased this year. Many students go abroad for education.
He also mentioned that all the governments worked to expand the opportunities for higher education to the non-government sectors. Today, a large number of students are migrating abroad for education. Due to this, the foreign exchange in the country as well as the knowledge and skills are flowing abroad. In order to avoid this, the minister pointed out that branches of foreign universities should be established in Sri Lanka in affiliation with local universities.
He further said that in order to control the admission of Sri Lankan students to foreign universities by spending more than three billion dollars per year, we should be given the opportunity to establish foreign university branches in Sri Lanka with international recognition.
Minister Bandula Gunawardena mentioned this while participating in the debate on the expenditure heads of several ministries including the Ministry of Education.
The minister also said that he would propose that the parliament should pass a bill that needs to be agreed upon by all for the establishment of non-profit medical faculties.
The minister said that a large number of students in this country enroll in foreign universities by spending a lot of money every year and this is a problem when there is a dollar crisis in the country. The minister said that in order to reduce the number of Sri Lankan students entering foreign universities, we must establish foreign university branches in the country whether we like it or not.
Minister Gunawardena, who further commented, said that a national agreement should be made for a radical change in education. At present, most of the private educational institutions offer private degrees in collaboration with foreign universities and these institutions are not subject to any regulation by the government, the Minister of Media pointed out. He said that the number of students studying in countries like India, Bangladesh and Nepal has increased this year and many students are going abroad for education.
He also mentioned that all the governments worked to expand the opportunities for higher education to the non-government sectors. Today, a large number of students are migrating abroad for education. Due to this, the foreign exchange in the country as well as the knowledge and skills are flowing abroad.
Minister Bandula Gunawardena further said that, “I am also focusing on a proposal made by the president and public representatives this morning, not historical facts about education. In the past, a large number of children in our country got about 300,000 student visas per year. Due to the damage to the credibility of local education and the barriers to it, they are in debt, mortgaging their parents’ property and sending their children to foreign universities. More people enter foreign universities than the number of people who enter. This costs more than three billion US dollars a year. As a country with a huge financial crisis, it is a problem to have to pay such a large amount for foreign universities. In addition to official channels, money is also used for methods such as Undial. Willing to send. Sri Lankan children who go like this have no one to talk to about what is happening in foreign countries.”
There were various problems under the Covid situation. The gap that has not existed through this is huge. Those who hold high positions. Many people, including politicians, are trying to get their children admitted to foreign universities. We often see such advertisements in the weekend newspapers. This is what is common to a certain group of people today. Therefore, in order to prevent this large number of people from entering foreign universities, whether we like it or not, internationally recognized branches of international universities should be established in Sri Lanka and medical faculties that are not for profit should be established in Sri Lanka by the agreement of all of us. It is my suggestion that a draft bill should be passed through this House.
After free education, the policy system of national education has not been given attention. There are no jobs to be given to the educated people born in this country. Educated people are not created for the available jobs. If the educated people are not created for the available jobs through the education system, then there is a problem if there are no jobs for the educated people. Generations of students have become heirs of violent politics by telling their parents and university professors who have educated many generations of students not to raise their bodies above their knees when they finally die.
Therefore, we must work to change this situation, regardless of which political party we belong to. Also, Anagarika Dharmapala has made a correct statement about free education in this country. “Education is the only way to save our nation. Sri Lanka has an illegitimate education system. Sinhalese youths should be given scholarships to countries like America, England, Germany, France and given in technology, agriculture, irrigation industry, etc. and brought back to Sri Lanka and start the work of nation building. Also, everything that can be produced in the country should be stopped. The economic renaissance should be brought about by restarting the industries in the country.