The government expected to obtain the full participation of Sri Lanka’s youth in the tasks of National Development, and the new University of Vocational Technology is an important move for this purpose, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the inauguration of Sri Lanka’s first university of Vocational Technology at Rathmalana today (31).

Under the prevailing system of education in the country only a small number of the annual intake of 380,000 to schools obtain opportunities for university education. It was therefor necessary to provide facilities for those who stop their education midway to obtain the necessary technological skills to enter the workforce and participation in national development, the President said.

The President recalled that the foundation for the development of improved vocational education was laid when he was Minister of Labor and Vocational Training in 1994 when the Vocational Training Authority was established. He was glad to participate in the launch of this new University of vocational technology which will widen the scope of university education and give more opportunities for youth for obtain advanced knowledge in many field of technology.