PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN SRI LANKA

1. Opening of private university has become common phenomenon in educational arena of Sri Lanka. In present context private sector is considered the key factor in the economic development. Private sector involvement is needy executed move to gain sustainable development. Human recourse is the capital for any country to gain development in social, economic and political sectors. There is less possibility to reach the development targets without promoting human resource. Therefore government universities could not pursue this endeavor themselves. Therefore there is no any harm for private sectors to involve in higher education.

2. Why Private Universities needed. Every year more than 300,000 students sat for the Advance level examination expecting university entrance. But unfortunately only limited number of student get through to the state university. This number may vary between 200,000 and 25,000depending on the situation. Advance level examination in variably become highly competitive because of the rat race. Since the government could not afford the all university qualified students, non qualified students get total frustrated after long time of study and practice in their education process.

3. With the increase of student population the government fond it even difficult to provide equal opportunity to every student in the university system. Because the government is constantly funding the school children from grade one to advance level. This is indeed big money for the government. Not only providing free educational opportunities for every school going children but also providing free school text and book uniforms materials for every child, the government is persuading a great service to promote the standard of school education. Sri Lanka has state run education system which is funded out of taxes from the people. In 2009 government has spent Rs 100.5 billions of people money on the education system according to the Ministry of education.

4. Due to the limited number of state university and non availability of private university most of the talented and intelligent students from both urban and rural area are deprived of their tertiary education. Majority of capable students are forced to terminate education at secondary level not going to the university because of this situation.

5. Those who can afford tertiary education in foreign university could flourish. The student who are unable pursue tertiary education in foreign countries become underutilize resource. However these potential sectors could have been utilize if they had been a system of private university system in Sri Lanka. They have talents and willingness, but unfortunately they don’t have opportunities to promote themselves in social mobility. This is the point where private universities can play big role for betterment of the country.

6. Quality of tertiary education in private university. Private university should be allowed to function under the supervision of university grant commissioned making sure that there is quality control mechanism. These universities should not be mere institute which sells degree simply. Here there is a question whether the government should allow the private university to be affiliated to the local existing universities or to well recognize international university. But what really matter is the recognition of the degree offered by these university. Today university education is profit making area. The private sector is interested in investing funds in this sector.

7. Most of the private investors are equipped with latest technology, method of education and information technology. Therefore we can assume that the quality of education in private university would be accepted as to meet the national goal.

8. All the curriculums, examinations should be supervised by government monitoring system in order to maintain constant standard of the degree program. There should be certain guide line on which university can function. The degrees and diploma offered by these universities should be recognized locally and internationally.

9. In order to accomplish above mentioned standard the need of the professional academic staff is compulsory to improve the quality and standard of the education in private university. The service of highly professional and qualified lectures could be utilized by paying competitive wages for them. This situation avoid the “Brain Drain” that is highly qualified educators going overseas countries for higher income. Their services could be diverted to promote tertiary education is concern.

10. Save foreign exchange within the country. There is a real example of how foreign exchange could be saved within our country. There are number of students spent their money for higher studies in foreign country. Throughout their higher education they have to be away from their home country as well as their loved one. And also they have to spent lot of money for their day to day requirement and it is quiet expensive than they spent their home land. Most of students once after the advance level exam they will not eligible to attend state university. Therefore their parents could afford their children education in foreign university. And also these highly affected to the female gender. Most of them opinion for the state university system concern, if there is a system of private university offering recognized degrees most of Sri Lanka students could able to saved more than half of what they had spent.

11. Due to limited number of state university system in Sri Lanka most student are deprived with their basic degree or diploma. This situation would retard them in social mobility. As a result they find it difficult to get opportunities to get highly paid foreign jobs. This in turn affects flow of foreign exchange to our country.

12. Once private university system established with proper infrastructure facilities as well as offering recognized degree programs the prospective students from foreign country can be attracted to our country for their higher educational requirement. This will bring definitely lot of foreign exchange to our country.

13. The service of local highly qualified professionals can be utilized in private university system instead of foreign professionals, in order to save foreign exchange within our system. It will no doubt enhance the morale conduct of our local professionals. Thereby also their valuable knowledge could be exploited for the betterment of our younger generation.

14. Government involvement in Higher Education. In present scenario university Grant Commission has been empowered to control and administered the educational system in Sri Lanka. In the past university system introduce in Sri Lanka in a very Ad Hoc manner. The university Grant Commission is the competent authority of the university system.

15. The university Grant Commission is a body that has been setup to allocate state resources among the universities. State university system in Sri Lanka has come of age with more than 30 years of existence. However it has been unable to assure the quality of the state university system over which it has direct controlling power.

16. The sad story is that there is no system of rating universities in place and student. The infrastructure facility available in state universities not enough for the students those who are under going for their university education. Due to insufficient of infrastructure facilities learning and teaching process of the university would be retarded. As a result student might get less interest regarding subject matter. In meantime it will lead student struggle against the prevailing system. It is true that the government and University Grant Commission along would not accomplish all these issues arising in the university system. Therefore in this context the involvement of private sector in this regard highly accepted.

17. Competitiveness in university education. Sri Lanka imagine as middle income country needs more and more educated younger generations to achieve goals. A number of universities available at present not enough to meet this challenge. Therefore university and tertiary education has become very competitive. Not only within Sri Lanka itself but also in global condition we experience in the same situation. Access to higher education has been increasing rapidly all over the world. Today due to this situation the model of higher education has change from elite to mass.

18. In state university the student behave sort of arbitrary manner, enjoying free education not concerning about the education they are receiving. But in a situation where they are changed for education will they believe like that when the students have to pay considerably higher amount of money for education they have to struggle to get the maximum use of it. That is the main struggle for them. And their parents also highly concern about the quality of the education they are receiving. The university bodies are continuously conscious to maintain to standard of their degree programmers’. In this situation student naturally compel to face this competitiveness in healthy manner. Generally university education system must be competitive, when there is a competition in education more and more private university would immerge in the competition.

19. In comparing to the other countries in the world they have introduced variety of university degree program. It will helpful for students those who are interest with particular subject matter. And also it will create condition for students to study their favorable condition. Most of the students reluctant to study compulsory subject like mathematics which are highly required for get through from ordinary level exam and it will problem for them to do their further study.

20. Present Sri Lankan University system. There are 15 number of recognized university in the country. It will facilitate nearly 22,500 students for the year 2011as per the University Grant Commission announcement. The students eligible for the university education have to undergo four year educational package at the universities. Due to the universities violence this time period will vary. It will highly affect to the students those who are waiting for enlisted to the university education. This time period will waste other resources which are useful for function the university system. Not only that, it indirectly affected to the student who following their degree program. The students who are studying more than four year they will burden for the university. And also university have to allocate additional money for maintain them.

21. Most of the universities in Sri Lanka at present spread out covering every parts of the country. But when it concern about the standard of the degree as well as the recognition of the university, it is differ from university to university. Therefore most of the student’s competition is to join and follow their degree program in well recognized university. Though there is universities spread in every part of the country there is requirement of enlisting the student particular university in same area. Therefore there should be an equal educational standard need for each university. Most of the private sector interest for specific universities only. With that intention university students behavioral pattern vary university to university.

22. The universities which are closer to city of Colombo And Kandy area students getting more beneficiaries rather than other universities, such as professional lecturers, library facilities, hostel facilities and other facilities. With the availability of all the facilities they are studying for their specific degree program.

23. Those kinds of lapses can be solved by introducing private university system to the country. With the private sector involvement, government can fulfill students’ requirement in certain aspects. Once the students trying to follow degree program they will not involve for any kind of illegal activities and violence. This will create condition for them to get their graduation in particular time period which they have to undergo. By introducing private university system there may be a competition with state universities. It will make student to have a better educational background. Once the private sector involved to this competition they will put maximum effort to satisfaction of students in private university. They will think about the student’s requirement rather than staying long time study in university. It will benefit for the students who are graduation earlier than the state university graduates.

24. Suitability of these to the student in present job market. As per the modern era private sector as well as the government sector will seeks to have powerful establishment in their specific fields. In order to face today competitiveness should have to identified and employed capable as well as knowledgeable key employer in the respective fields. With the graduation, students will find a suitable job for their qualification. It is totally depend on the students forecast of future job market. Once the student graduation from the university they have to prove their knowledge in respective private or government system. As per the present context of job market is mainly requirement of employer how to use their theoretical knowledge in practical situation. If student capable enough to overcome such situation they will get the opportunity to find a job.

25. This university system will create a professional employer for various fields. The graduates ability and interest will decide their requirement. Due to the competitiveness of job market most of the people trying to qualified many fields. It will consider the people selection to private and government fields.

26. If there is a private university system in Sri Lanka, students who are graduation from the private universities will get the opportunity to find the jobs from the private sectors. Due to the competition with the government sector they will try to keep students attraction towards their university system. And it will create condition for the nation to overcome unemployment rate of the country. And also with the identification of respective fields they can be able to touch with their preferable degree program. According to today developing requirement private sector will forecast the required degree scheme for relevant fields. The number of universities in private sector will influence the country tertiary educational standards. The more number of universities availability will support to the students competitions among each other, in order to face future job market.

27. Educational standard of the students. After completion of advance level exam, student will eligible to follow degree program in various scheme. The students who are attending for their university education in various areas of the country. And it will be sitting after the competitive examination. Though they selected for university education, educational level of the country not equal in all the country. It will affect to the students education during the university. More number of students who are select to the university education they feel uncomfortable in beginning of the university life. It will affect to their studies during first term of university study.

28. In Sri Lanka all the university educational standard of students are not equal. The main reason behind that is most of the highly capable professors and lecturers are like to be in the capital of the country. A few numbers of professors and lecturers are serving in other universities in Sri Lanka. It will directly affect to the students who are undergoing graduation in other universities. This particular situation can be minimized by introducing a private university system to the nation. When the private sector involve to this field they will create favorable condition to the students as well as the lecturers in order to face competition with other universities.

29. The students’ education standard can’t be uplift only by providing educational aspect. Have to fulfill their basic needs in order to uplift their educational standards. Once they comfortable with the environment for their education and their needs which are supporting for their studies will affect for standard of students education.

30. Government involvement in private Universities. In order to face the development competition of the other country has to think about every aspect. Basically literacy of the country will play pivotal role in the country. In this context government can’t handle this problem individually. With the support of the private sector government can increase the number of universities as per the country requirement. The students of the state university will find many difficulties when they studying. But the students who will get the opportunities to enter the private universities they are strong enough to face the situation. At present government not in a position to face this situation by handling along. Every year there are nearly 150,000 students get the opportunity sit for advance level exam. But out of 150,000 there are 22,500 students getting chance to attend to university education. Other amount of students will deprive in the education.

31. With the government involvement to establish private university in the country will benefitted to the students who are deprive from advance level exam. For the requirement of private university in Sri Lanka government has to make some rules and regulation for maintain the standard of the degree. By involving university Grant Commission it can direct as per the required standard. And also government has to implement criteria for recognition of private university degree. With that recognition graduates can be able to find jobs in government sector. Government has to create favorable condition for private sectors invest in this field. If there is a possibility for private sector to invest they will create condition for international students to follow the degree program.

32. Better prospect for younger generation. If people educated in the country will make country prospect. Therefore has to uplift the educational standard of the country. Every people have to think about their children education in every time. With the identification of their talents and capability can guide them for their wishes. The students who are interest with their specific field, they will study it in favorable condition. Today most of the students automatically become as machine. That has happened due to the modern world arena. The students who are qualified with more aspects they are in position to face the any situation. With the graduation many number of students unable to find out jobs as per their qualification. That has happened due to their misidentification of fields as well as lack of interest for further studies.

33. The better environment will create condition for better study for any one. If there is possibility to make arrangement to fulfill students needs and wants can be enlightened their future.

RECCOMMENDATIONS

34. Following are the recommendation which will help for the opening of private universities in Sri Lanka.

a. Private universities should affiliate with recognized universities system.

b. Private university has to maintain quality assurance in the degree which is introduced by them.

c. Government has to make arrangement in security of the students who are graduation from private universities.

d.