55 new university dormitories with facilities for 16,000 students

The Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education has launched 55 new projects to provide residential facilities for sixteen thousand students studying in the country's state university system. This program, launched under three phases, aims to provide quick solutions to the accommodation problem of students in many universities across the island, and currently, the construction and procurement activities of the relevant projects for each university are underway at various levels.

Accordingly, under five projects, 1,600 students will be accommodated at Eastern University, with three 'A' type buildings providing facilities for 400 students each, and two 'B' type buildings providing facilities for 200 students each. The relevant bids were opened on April 30th, and evaluations are currently underway to select a suitable institution. At the University of Jaffna, two dormitories of 'A' and 'B' types are being constructed for 600 students, and the evaluation of tender proposals is currently in progress. Additionally, six new dormitories are being built for 2,000 students at the South Eastern University, and further steps are being taken based on the tender bids opened on May 21st.

Centered around Sabaragamuwa University and Rajarata University, seven new dormitory projects are being implemented at each university to provide accommodation for 2,200 students each. Under this, four 'A' type buildings and three 'B' type buildings will be constructed at both universities. The relevant tenders for Sabaragamuwa University were called on May 20th, and bids for selecting contractors for Rajarata University were successfully opened on May 21st. Furthermore, six dormitories are proposed to be built for 1,800 students at Uva Wellassa University, and initial discussions have been held, with bids called on May 22nd.

Four projects have been initiated at the Universities of Sri Jayewardenepura, Wayamba, and Vavuniya, with the aim of providing residential facilities for 1,200 students at each. Under these projects, two 'A' type and two 'B' type buildings will be constructed for Jayewardenepura and Wayamba Universities, and currently, the preparation of necessary tenders and legal documents for these projects is underway. It is reported that technical evaluation reports for the relevant projects at Vavuniya University are being prepared. Furthermore, bids for two 'B' type dormitories for 400 students at the University of Moratuwa had commenced by May 17th.

Four 'B' type dormitories are being constructed for 800 students at Ruhunu University, and site work has commenced, with approximately 75% of the land preparation already completed. For the Trincomalee Campus, two 'B' type buildings providing facilities for 400 students are being implemented under a design-and-build basis, and bids for this were called and finalized between April 09th and May 27th. At Gampaha Wickramarachchi University, approval has been granted for the design-and-build method for two 'B' type projects to provide residential facilities for 400 students, and the selection of the relevant land is currently underway.