President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the delay in the Sri Lankan university system at the commencement of courses would be avoided enabling students to complete their studies within the stipulated duration.

The President made this observation during a meeting held with the prefects of Royal College, Colombo at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (22).

Head Prefect of Royal College Colombo Kaveesha Rathnayake and the prefects of the college participated in this meeting, the President’s Media Division reported.

The matters concerning Royal College as well as matters regarding the country’s education sector were discussed there while the President answered the questions raised by the students on the measures taken by the government for the advancement of the education sector.

The President made queries from the prefects on the university education where the students brought the focus of the President to the vast difference between the duration to complete a degree in a foreign higher education institute and in a local university.

The President agreed with it and assured that remedial action would be taken without delay. He also highlighted the value of education in a local university over foreign education. He also emphasized that the government has taken many steps to expand the educational opportunities for students who have qualified for higher education following the completion of their school education. He added that measures have been taken to commence several new universities in Kurunegala and Batticaloa.

The President also mentioned that the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Colombo would be set up as a separate campus, while the National School of Business Management (NSBM) and the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) would be upgraded as national universities.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe raised the issue of ragging with the students during the meeting and said that it seemed that students who attend the universities from schools such as Royal College, Thurstan College, Ananda College and D. S. Senanayake College turn a blind eye when such ragging incidents happen, although a large number of students from these schools are within these universities.

The President also pointed out that the students of those universities have a responsibility to bring ragging in universities to an end and the head prefects of those schools could perform their roles while in school.

The president further said that university education is interesting but the rate of students suffering from physical and mental stress has increased due to ragging at universities and emphasized that he would take measures to solve the problem.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe also appreciated the role played by the Board of Prefects of the Royal College in the development of the school and its reputation.

Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President Sagala Rathnayake also participated in the event.