Sri Lanka President pledges to set up new universities

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today pledged to set up new universities in the country to enable the country to become a knowledge hub.

Addressing a function held at the Sabaragamuwa University to open the new building complex for the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Faculty of Social Sciences and Languages, the President said all students who acquire higher education should have equal knowledge and the country will become a knowledge hub only by providing a fully-fledged education to everyone.

He said new universities need to be set up as the country needs intellectuals at this juncture since the country is heading towards new era following the defeat of terrorism.

He assured that his government is working to provide all facilities to achieve these objectives.

The new building complex at the Sabaragamuwa University was constructed at a cost of 665 million rupees.

The President also pledged to provide a fully-equipped sport complex and ground to the university.

Chancellor of the Sabaragamuwa University Venerable Kumburugamuwe Vajira Thero and Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake also spoke at the event.

Deputy Minister of Higher education Nandimithra Ekanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Higher education Sunil Jayantha Navaratne, Ministers John Seneviratne and Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province W.J.M. Lokubandara, Chief Minister Maheepala Herath, Chairman of the University Grants Commission Prof. Gamini Samaranayake and Vice Chancellor Professor Mahinda Rupasinghe also participated in the occasion.

(Photos by Sudath Silva)