UGC says plans underway for three new universities
The University of Grants Commission (UGC) is making arrangements to set up three universities within this year.
UGC Chairman Sampath Amaratunga said an estimated 10,000 students will be able to enter the three universities.
One of the universities will be dedicated for teachers, so they can obtain a degree from the respective university. He said currently teachers who obtain their training from the teacher training colleges will be able to obtain a degree in teaching. A College of Education will be upgraded and used as a university for teachers, he said.
A separate university will be established as a campus for plantation and agriculture research in view of the relevance and importance of the subject to the country. Under this plan, the subjects currently carried out in tea, rubber, coconut and paddy research will be brought under the purview of this university. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had proposed the setting up of this university.
The third university will be set up in Vavuniya and will include a medical faculty. The buildings in Vavuniya, which belong to the Jaffna university will be used for this new university.
President Rajapaksa in his election manifesto pledged to increase the number of university admissions.