President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that a programme focusing on utilizing both university education and vocational training for the country’s development will commence next year.

Emphasizing the need for a knowledgeable human resource to propel the nation forward, he assigned the responsibility to the university and vocational training sectors in Sri Lanka.

The President highlighted the extended support from the private sector for a transformative shift in vocational training education and the imminent introduction of laws to reorganize the entire education system in the country.

These remarks were made during President Wickremesinghe’s presence at the 2023 graduation ceremony of the National Institute of Business Studies (NSBM Green University). In a celebratory gesture, NSBM Green University Vice Chancellor E.A. Weerasinghe presented a collection of valuable books to President Wickremesinghe.

Addressing the gathering, President Wickremesinghe said: “We aim to revolutionize university education to ensure that every graduate secures employment. Currently, the admission of students to Government universities is restricted due to logistical challenges. However, other nations have effectively addressed this issue, aligning with the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, which asserts the right of everyone to access education. In line with this, governments and private entities worldwide have established universities. As Sri Lanka, we are now prepared to undertake this task.

“In our efforts, we plan to establish vocational training colleges by merging existing vocational training institutes. To enhance employability, we are introducing job-oriented curricula for these courses. Encouragingly, the private sector has pledged support for these initiatives, and we anticipate implementing this programme by the coming year.

Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Nihal Ranasinghe, NSBM Green University Vice Chancellor E. A. Weerasinghe, Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Chaminda Ratnayake, deans and academic staff and parents of graduate students were present.

The collection of books presented to the President included Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond, Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane King, A Life by Jonathan Eig, Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano, All the Sinners Bleed by S.S. Cosby, Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, What Napoleon Could Not Do by D.K. Nuro, The Wager by David Grann, and Blue Hour by Tiffany Clarke Harrison.