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SB to new varsity entrants: Make SL a different place
View(s):Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake invited new entrants to universities to think differently, engage in constant research and innovations, to make Sri Lanka a different place. Addressing the newly enrolled undergraduates at the opening ceremony of Leadership Training at the Gannoruwa Electric Engineering and Mechanical Forces base, the minister said that it is important to have mentally and physically healthy youth for a better tomorrow.
“We are also looking forward to develop the leadership qualities, positive thinking within students. At the leadership programme we will teach them to dress neatly, behave well with self reliance and respect,” he said that students who are the crème of the crème are selected into state run universities and that they have to be guided well to become patriotic citizens.
He said that the students in this era are fortunate as Sri Lanka is fast developing.
“According to last year’s statistics, we are ranked second, as an economically developing nation in the world, with 7.3 per cent. China is ranked one with 7.6 per cent, and Vietnam was third with 6.9 per cent,” he said, adding that, compared with China and Vietnam, Sri Lanka is freer, as the other two countries have no private-owned media institutions or opposition parties to criticise their governments. “Today we have shown our ability to achieve targets and special demands for development,” he said, adding that student leadership training is one. Higher Education Deputy Minister, Nandimithra Ekanayake, Ministry Secretary, Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawarathne, University Grants Commission Chairperson, Prof Kshanika Hirimburegama and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Daya Ratnayake were also present at the event.