• UGC will play a role in the Kotelawala National Defence University

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

The government will bring amendments to General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University Bill during the committee stage, Minister of Education and Higher Education Professor G. L. Peiris said yesterday.

“Government will bring in amendments to the Bill if we feel that it is necessary,” Professor Peiris said during the second reading debate on the Bill.

“UGC will play a role in the Kotelawala National Defence University. UGC will represent the governing body while it will also play a role in auditing it. This will be the case though such clauses are not included in the Bill,” the Minister said.

“Kotelawala National Defence University is a special university and is different from a traditional university. There are a number of such special universities in this country at the moment. This special status of Kotelawala Defence University should be maintained,” he added.

Minister informed that there will be more new special universities such as the Nursing University which will offer a nursing degree for the first time in Sri Lanka.

SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne said his party is not against the Kotelawala University but only opposes the “The Kotelawala National Defence University Bill makes it an institution that is independent of UGC. This is what we are opposed to,” he said.

“We shall also come up with some amendments at the committee stage,” he said. 

BLURB
Kotelawala National Defence University is a special university and is different from a traditional university. There are a number of such special universities in this country at the moment