News
Engineering equipment worth millions lying idle at Ruhuna Uni: Minister calls for report
View(s):By Yoshitha Perera
The Higher Education State Ministry has called for an immediate report from Ruhuna University officials following reports that engineering equipment procured over the past twelve years by spending millions of rupees is unusable or lying idle.
The university’s engineering faculty was set up more than two decades ago by the then Higher Education Minister Richard Pathirana, who represented the region. But during the early years, the students followed their practical lessons at the Moratuwa University. This was because the university lacked the facilities. But later, the university started buying equipment.
“The machines brought down for practical sessions are unusable,” Higher Education State Minister Suren Raghavan said.
The minister said he was unable to say how much money had been spent on the equipment, as the university had failed to conduct an internal audit.
“My approach is to see how we can make the unit work; what can we do for this? For that reason, I have asked for an immediate report from the university administration,” Dr. Raghavan said.
With an increase in the faculty intakes, the administration began purchasing engineering equipment in 2010 to begin in-house practical lessons, but faculty officials failed to put it into proper use, lecturer Indika Bopearachchi said.
“Unopened boxes have been lying idle for years. The faculty began in 2000 with 90 students and now we have 600 students. It is a serious issue when these students don’t have necessary equipment for the practicals,” he said.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!