"Our youth should be more aware of education opportunities at hand and also should lay emphasis in using them to widen their scope and enhance their eligibility”, he added.

He noted that the Government's on going massive development drive would present the countries youth with plenty of lucrative employment opportunities if they possessed the required knowledge and skills.

The President made these comments after declaring open the new Hambantota District Youth Centre complex of the National Youth Council at Yayawatte, Tangalle yesterday (29 March).

"For this purpose the Government plans to create an effective mechanism with the aid of technical, IT, agricultural education institutes, Youth Councils etc. to empower youth with knowledge/skills in line with requirements for modern day employment opportunities”, quoting the President, Daily News reported.

He added that the country today was attracting international and local investors alike with new harbours, airports, infrastructure facilities coming up in every corner of the island.

The Centre built at a cost of Rs. 60 million provides youth with facilities for education and extra curricular activities including technical, sports, IT, aesthetic studies etc.

Meanwhile, President Rajapaksa declared open the Rupavahini Muthuhara Library at Palamkada, Weeraketiya yesterday where he stated that textbook learning is not enough to raise to high standards of employment or position in the competitive world.

“Therefore our aim is to make our younger generation knowledgeable and strong”, he said.

The greatest power youth could have is knowledge and not arms. The policies of national leaders of the past few decades destroyed the rich and valuable lives of thousands of youth who were misled and took to arms, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

“It is my policy therefore to strengthen our youth to be able to face any challenge in the world as it is my responsibility to ensure that the youth will not face dangers but be strong to achieve prosperity,” the President said.

President Rajapaksa said some leaders of the recent past did not possess the knowledge that leaders should be fortified with.

It was due to such people that thousands of our youth were destroyed by taking up arms instead of being strengthened with knowledge and useful skills. Therefore the government had taken every measure to enrich the children and youth with knowledge and was seeking to build a knowledge based society, quoting the President Daily News reported.

At the ceremony to open the public library at Netolpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha, the President stated that the attitude of imitating the West by the previous governments had relegated history as a subject taught in schools, Daily News reported.

“We have to teach our children and younger generation our history so that they would learn and appreciate our national traditions”, he emphasized.

Sri Lanka has a proud history that some of the developed nations do not have. It has a rich ethical tradition that we should bequeath to our children and still unborn generations. Therefore, we have to teach children our history, the President added.