LNP – Those who protest should come up with proposals for modern education system: Prez

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that those who protest against educational reforms should come up with proposals for a modern education system instead of advocating political motives.

Even though it was not possible to maintain only government universities one hundred per cent,the President stated that he was also opposed to operating private universities as a business.

“Income generated from private universities should be set aside for the promotion of education itself,” he said.

The President expressed these views at the event organised to launch the official website(www.cu.ac.lk) to introduce the City university Programme as a concept at the Presidential Secretariat this morning(15) to coincide with the World Youth Skills Day – 2021.

He said many graduates were seeking government employment and said the responsibility of a government should not be to provide jobs but to create a comprehensive economic environment that enables creation of jobs.

The President said that his objective of the ‘City University’ Programme is to create a person who can directly contribute to the economy or who possesses the knowledge to engage in self-employment at the end of the degree course.

The City universities will be established covering all districts with the aim of producing talented graduates equipped with the cutting edge technology, targeting the job market.

80% of those who qualify for tertiary education at the GCE Advanced Level milestone do not get opportunity to enter universities. Only those who are financially blessed will have the privilege to pursue their further studies at private institutes or abroad.

The President expects to offer a degree compatible for the job market to the talented and capable students who have passed the Advanced Level and yet lack the financial support they need through the City University programme.