All faculties to be elevated to university status

All faculties to be elevated to university status

In the hope of granting university status to all those who passed the advanced level examination as promised by Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa during the presidential period all faculties which existed as a state institution structure which provided residential training to train teachers would be elevated to the status of universities. According to a proposal brought be education minister Mr. Dalas Alahapperuma, approval was granted, cabinet spokesman Mr. Bandula Gunawardena revealed at a media briefing held this morning (5).

Upto now the procedure had been that while a part of those qualified in the advanced level exam entering university and another part are chosen for science faculties and where they get the opportunity of studying for the diploma to enter the teaching profession. Normally these science teachers are directed to teach subjects to students in grades below advanced level. It was degree-holders who were used to teach for advanced level classes.

According to the new proposal, with science faculties being turned into universities, the opportunity is afforded to secure services of a large number of lecturers qualified with a degree and post-graduate degree of a university level instead of science faculty teachers who drew salaries of a low scale, minister Bandula Gunawardena said.

Whatever it is, the minister did not clarify whether    education is imparted on a resident basis when these science faculties are turned into universities. Under the scheme of providing degrees to all students who pass the advanced level there are presently those who are not selected to universities as well as those not selected for science faculties. Therefore, it should be explained in future whether a large crowd is recruited to science faculties to settle that issue.