City University programme launched to produce graduates targeting job market

Fulfilling another promise in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Vision of Prosperity policy statement, the City University programme of establishing universities in every district commenced on Thursday.

Introducing the City University programme as a concept, President Rajapaksa on Thursday at the Presidential Secretariat launched the official website of the programme (www.cu.ac.lk), on the occasion of World Youth Skills Day Celebration 2021.

City universities will be established covering all districts of the country with the aim of producing talented graduates, skilled with the new technology, targeting the job market. The first university under the City University programme will be established in the Pinnawala area, in the Kegalle district.

After the GCE Advanced Level examination, 80 percent of those who qualify for university admission lose their university entrance. Among them, economically gifted students go to private or foreign universities.

Through the City University programme, the President hopes to award a degree suitable for the job market to talented students, who have passed the Advanced Level but are not economically advantaged to receive private education.

The specialty here is the design of degree courses based on the syllabus specific to each district as well as tailored to the local and global job market.

Skills Development, Vocational Education and Innovation State Minister Dr. Sita Arambepola stated that a future citizen full of knowledge and professional skills will be created at the end of the degree course.

Youth unemployment fell to 4 percent in 2014 but has risen to 16 percent by 2019, said Youth and Sports Minister and Digital Technology and Enterprise Development State Minister Namal Rajapaksa.

Namal Rajapaksa pointed out that youth unemployment could rise to 30 percent, due to the current global situation, adding that a talented youth should be born through the degree.

The younger generation is moving towards modernity mixed with new technology. The minister said that it is important to adapt to the world and that in the end, it is life that should be won, not the habits that are brought on continuously.

Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris pointed out that although a graduate’s expectation is a good job, correcting the incompatibility of certain degree courses for any job is at present a responsibility.

While the majority of graduates seek government employment, the President said that the responsibility of a government should not be to provide jobs but to create a comprehensive economic environment that creates jobs.
The President said that his goal of the City University programme is to create a person with the knowledge to be directly involved in the economy or to engage in self-employment by the end of the degree course.

It is not possible to run 100 percent government universities. However, the President stated that he too was opposed to running private universities for business purposes only. He added that the income from private universities should be set aside for the promotion of education.

The President said that those who are campaigning against education reforms should present a modern education system and not advocate for political motives.

The President also emphasised the need to take steps to expedite the implementation of the City University programme starting from Kegalle throughout the island.

Secretary to President P.B. Jayasundara, secretaries to ministries, chairman of the University Grants Commission and other officials were present at the occasion.