Lankan universities to start online courses in all three languages
January 3, 2011 04:30 pm
Sri Lankan universities are to commence online courses in all three languages enabling the expatriate Sri Lankans to study in the language of their mother tongue.
Chairman of the University Grant Commission (UGC) Prof. Gamini Samaranayake
told the Government Information Department that all universities in the country
have been instructed through a road map as to how they should restructure their
external course programs in future. Once this restructuring is done the
universities will be able to recommence their external degree program and
initiate online courses for first degree.
He said several expatriate Sri Lankans have made enquiries about such courses
and university systems are being geared up to meet this demand.
All external degree programs conducted by universities were suspended recently
on the instruction of the main regulator of universities - the UGC. Professor
Samaranayake said that all this time the external courses were conducted in a
traditional manner but it lacked quality and control. The number of external
students far exceeded that of internal students which led to deterioration of
the quality of graduates to certain extent.
Under the new road map universities will be allowed to have external students
in double the number of internal students and they can decide on the modalities
of the courses inclusive of new programs and extension of courses.
The UGC also proposes to conduct awareness session for students about the
private tuition classes and selection of subjects in order to ensure the
quality of the program.
“Hereafter, all tutorials conducting classes for external degrees will have to
be accredited by respective universities. The main criteria for such
accreditation will be the qualification of the teachers concerned” Prof. Samaranayake
declared.
Mr Samaranayake said that external degrees should tally with the socio economic
conditions of the country. It is the quality and not the quantity that matters.
Therefore, we have instructed the universities to add some additional components
to external courses too as in the case of internal degrees, he added.
“All these days circulars and instructions issued by the UGC covered only the
internal courses. Hereafter we will issue such circulars covering the external
courses too. The UGC has issued a Hand Book to universities where it has been
specified that each university should start a fully fledged separate department
within the system for external courses” the Professor said.
He also said that UGC proposes on more inputs to enhance the quality of
external degrees. Accordingly English and computer studies will be added as new
components of the external study programs. The external candidates will be able
to select a combination of new core subjects and this would enable the students
to enter into the job market with a qualitative degree.
He also said that at the moment Moratuwa and Colombo universities have recommenced their
BIT external program and some of the private institutions have been accredited
to conduct courses. In addition the Medical Faculty of the Kelaniya University,
Wayamba and Peradeniya
Universities have
commenced some external program after the restructuring program of their
external courses.
Prof. Gamini Samaranayake said that apart from this, University
of Jaffna has expressed interest to
begin online courses in Tamil medium for expatriate Sri Lankan students as many
Sri Lankan living in Canada
have expressed their willingness in this regard
(Government Information Department)