20 August 2022 12:00 am Views - 956
In a bid to plug draining of approximately US$ 2 billion from the country, by about 30,000 students annually for higher education, the government would see the possibility of establishing private universities and issue licenses to prestigious foreign Universities to open branches in Sri Lanka, Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.
Minister Gunawardana admitted that a large number of Sri Lankan students studying at higher education institutions in foreign countries who have returned home mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic have been trapped at home due to the foreign currency crisis in Sri Lanka.
“We must look at this issue in an independent mindset without creating a ‘Billa’ or ‘ghost perspective’ which we have been doing over the years in respect of anything and everything foreign,” Minister Gunawardana told a news briefing at the Information Department.
“Thousands of Sri Lankan students numbering more than the annual intake to national Universities are leaving the country for higher education to China, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Nepal in addition to those leaving to western countries. Their parents send them about US$ 2 billion annually. Sri Lanka cannot afford this. If we could put an end to this draining of foreign currency and provide higher education to all Sri Lankan students who are qualified for University education it will be a blessing to the economy and to these students and their families.
Therefore, the government will have a close look at the possibility of opening of private Universities and permitting foreign Universities to open their branches independently or jointly with our own Universities,” Minister Gunwardana stressed.
If Sri Lanka could provide a quality higher education on par with top level foreign Universities in the world, at least to the region, Sri Lanka will become a destination for higher education and earn a good amount of foreign currency, he added.