“Nipuna Dhiri” Lottery for VTI students’ bursaries
View(s):The Vocational Training & Skills Development Ministry will shortly launch a lottery similar to the Mahapola Lottery, to raise funds for scholarships to needy students, said Minister Chandima Weerakkody.
The Lottery, named “Nipuna Dhiri”, is to provide bursaries to needy students following Vocational Training Courses in govt institutions.
The Minister said the monthly allowance for the students is intended to cover board, lodging, transport and purchase of educational material.
The Minister said that, as most of the major Vocational Training Institutes (VTI) are based in Colombo and its suburbs, students from rural areas are reluctant to enroll, as they cannot afford to spend on basic necessities while living away from home.
The Minister said there around 220,000 students qualified to follow courses in these VTIs, but due to financial difficulties, more than 100,000 discontinue the courses. He added the allowance would encourage students to complete the programmes and make them more employable.
Minister Weerakkody said there is Rs 200 million in the Skills Development Fund and negotiations are under way to get foreign funding to upgrade such programmes to provide better facilities for students.
- Damith Wickremasekera