Bachelor of Technology in local Universities from 2016
A new Degree titled Bachelor of Technology (BTec) will be introduced in local universities by 2016, in a fresh bid to cater to the job market, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena told the Education Times.
As a prelude, a new Technology stream for GCE Advanced Level (AL) students is being introduced in schools from next month, he said
The stream will be initially introduced to 250 schools, and later expanded to 1,000 other schools by 2016.
“The ministry has taken measures to identify 1000 schools countrywide, with at least three schools in every Assistant Government Agents (AGA) division equipped and updated with the new stream,” he said.
Under the new stream, students will have to select three subjects. They are Engineering Technology or Bio system Technology, Science for Technology and one from a selection of 10 Commerce and Arts subjects which includes Home Science, English, Information Technology, Economics, Buddhist Studies and Accounts.
At the ALs, 75% marks will be for the written examination, while 25% will be for the practical conducted by the Vocational Training Center.
“By 2016, we hope to change the Science faculty to Science and Technology, so that, these students will be able to continue their education in the universities when the BTec degree will be introduced,” Mr Gunawardena said.
He said these students will be able to follow about 40 other Degrees, where over 1,500 are to be admitted to the universities by 2016, to follow it.
He said that, to each of the schools, they hope to install four laboratories.
They will consist of an Information Technology lab with 40 computers, a Language lab with 20 computers for students, a Mathematics lab and a Distance Hearning lab, the minister said.
Construction work on the lab facilities in 409 schools has been completed, while the World Bank will build the facilities in 175 provincial councils, with the work in the rest of the schools will be done by the ministry.
Each school has been allocated Rs 150 million, with contruction work due to be completed by 2016.
The new stream will be launched in 250 schools on July 15 . The principal of each of these schools were informed to guide the students and advice them about the new subjects.
In addition to that, the Vocational Training and Skills Development Ministry will build 25 university colleges in each district where 7,500 students will be recruited to follow a Diploma in Technology.
“If a student fails to enter university or a university college, they will be given an opportunity to study at the German Technology school, among other institutions, where their training is recognized worldwide,” the minister said.
“Students who fail to get into the Science stream, can follow this subject, as simple passes to Science and Mathematics with three other credit passes is required,” he added.
“We have received a loan of US$ 200 million from the Asian Development Bank, to develop the schools from 2013 to 2017, at US$ 40 million per year. We are going to construct buildings with infrastructure facilities in each of these schools, and teachers for the Technology stream will be trained through this,” Minister Gunawardena said.
He explained that the existing schools are known as 1AB (schools with arts, commerce and science subjects) these 1000 schools will be known as 1AB super, after they teach the Technology stream.
The minister further said that, by the year 2015, changes will be made to the Ordinary Level syllabus by the National Institute of Education, to prepare the students to the new stream.
“We will be getting the results of the implementation of new subjects in 2020. This is a good opportunity for the students because, earlier, anyone who failed to get into the Science faculties, followed Arts subjects, as they had no other options,” the minister said.
He said that, even though there are job opportunities to students following Science and Commerce streams, only 21% of graduates in the Science stream, 27% in the Commerce stream, and about 51% in the Arts stream pass out.
“This is the reason for the lack of jobs for the graduates. We don’t produce graduates with the necessary skills needed for the job market. Through this stream, we will be able to meet local and foreign job requirements such as Motor Mechanics, Wood Science and Civil Engineering,” he said.
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