The cabinet proposal presented by the Minister of Higher Education to construct an International Education Hub in this country has been passed, stated by Hon. Bandula Gunawardana, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology and Minister of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation at the cabinet press briefing today (23) held at the auditorium of the Department of the Government Information.
The Minister further said that when 30,000 students are annually given university entrance, 21,000 students go abroad every year in search of higher educational opportunities and after the establishment of the International Education Hub, the wealth flowing to greener pastures can be saved for our country. The Minister also said when our students leave the country for higher education, around 50 Billion Rupees go out of the country and it has a direct impact of the economy of the country in terms of Rupee depreciation. Even in such a situation the students from the countries such as Bangladesh and Maldives come to our country for higher education and last year 1,568 such students have come, the minister emphasized. Their prime objective has been perusing education in the subjects such as Information Technology, Bio systems Technology, Engineering, English and accounting.
The Minister explained that he would pay way for the establishment of number one universities and High Technological Institutions in the world and to implement foreign education in this country by way of providing tax concessions offered by the Board of Investment to the foreign investors. He further added that the economy of the country would also be uplifted by creating the opportunity for both local and foreign students to pay the course fees in standard foreign currency.
The Minister Gunawardana emphasized that Dr. In–Ki Joo President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) in Washington had promised him to extend his support to make the proposed International Educational Hub fertile ground to produce the experts in the field of Accountings. The Minister also requested from the media not to misinterpret this fact.
