Sri Lanka has not given sufficient emphasis to science education, said Minister of Science, Technology Research, and Skills Development and Kandyan Heritage, Dr Sarath Amunugama.
“We have about 10,000 schools in all, but science is taught only in about 1,000 he said addressing the World Youth Skills Development Day, Celebration program.
He added that Sri Lanka could be developed by creating a science culture and also skill development of young people. “Without such skills we cannot create either an agriculturally or industrially advanced country.”
He said that through the NVQ system there is an alternative to the traditional system of education. “As someone who had followed the traditional system of higher education NVQ system is as good as that system. We cannot develop this county without both.”
“We must develop this NVQ system of training and education. We must optimize the resources committed to it, whether they are financial resources or resources of other kinds, like teachers. As a developing country we cannot afford to waste resources.”
Sri Lanka must make available a training in skills that is required by the world of work. “We have the IT field, building construction field, tourism and hospitality also the field of health care. There are many such fields from which there is demand for well trained manpower.”
Minister said that there are 200,000 vacancies in the industrial sector and another 200,000 in the tourism sector.”
“Sri Lanka cannot provide the personnel required, due to deficiencies in our education. We have not paid attention to the teaching of foreign languages. Therefore the prospective investors go to countries like the Philippines and Sri Lanka adds foreign language teaching to our curricula.”
“When this is done, in the next 5 to 6 years you will be able to find good employment not only in this country but in countries like Japan, China and Europe as well.”
“I intend to start a Job Bank – a job fair, from next week. We will place the data concerning all the students passing out of our institutions, in a computer data base. Then we will be able to give to prospective employers all your particulars immediately. Any prospective employer will be able to recruit the skilled personnel he needs through our Job Bank.”
0 comments: