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Nearly half of varsity students provided hostel facilities: Higher Education Minister
View(s):Only 36,121 out of 94,494 students studying in national universities, have been provided with hostel facilities, Parliament was told recently. In reply to a question raised by Opposition MP Dinesh Gankanda, Higher Education Minister S.B.Dissanayake said that by 2013, except for students of the Open University of Sri Lanka, 46 percent of university students have been given hostel facilities.
He said out of the total number of students 86 percent are qualified to have hostel facilities.
Mr.Dissanayake said that from 2006 to 2013, 38 university hostel projects have commenced with over Rs. 6,000 million rupees approved for them and 17 hostels have reached near completion.
Replying to MP Gankanda, the Minister said that he is aware that a pledge has been given in the Mahinda Chintana and Mahinda Chintana-Vision for Future of the year 2010 to provide hostel facilities to every undergraduate.
A project was commenced last year to complete 60 hostels for 24,000 students and about 30 have completed with over 12,000 students due to get facilities. Another 30 hostel projects were started in August this year and by 2015, there will be another 30 hostels, the Minister assured.
According to him, hostel facilities are provided only to to first year students and not for students in the second, third and fourth years.
“The Ministry is coming up with university villages, the university township system and assisting neighbouring home owners letting rooms to university students at a low rate,” he said.
When the Opposition MP requested whether the Ministry is willing to provide about Rs. 2,000 to each student who comes from low income families and have not got hostel facilities, the Minister said universities are given permission to provide such monetary assistance to students with financial difficulties.
(NF)