Higher education needs changes- SB

A special framework is to be introduced to improve the quality of higher education and training by recognizing and accrediting qualifications offered by different institutions in higher education and vocational training, said Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake at a workshop on Sri Lanka Qualifications Framework (SLQF) yesterday.
He said that changes are needed in Sri Lanka's higher education.
"If the person who passes exams is a time waster, who is no use to the country, society and a person who hates the whole society we who are in charge of higher education are to be blamed," the Minister said.
Dissanayake said that the trend of giving graduation certificates with no real standards to political thugs should be stopped. The SLQF makes the graduation standard clear, he said.
"The final output should be a productive person who respects law and order of the country, a person who loves, cares and does something worthy to the country and society and a sensitive and a thoughtful person," the Minister said.
SLQF benefits all stakeholders of higher education including students, parents, employers as well as education and training providers. SLQF's objectives are to enhance the quality of higher education and training in all levels, facilitate access to higher learning and thereby contribute to full personal development of learners and to social and economic development of the country, enhance equity in higher education, training and employment opportunities, help employers to understand the level of knowledge, skills and competencies of qualification holders and facilitating mobility and progression within higher education and career pathways.
The framework consists of 10 levels. The demand of learning for outcomes and complexity of learning increase with each level. The levels are not directly related to the years of study, but each level is described in terms of credits.
Daily News