News

COPE urges UGC to collect Rs.2bn from lecturers who didn’t return to SL

Published

4 weeks ago

May 3, 2023

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Rs. 2 billion should be obtained from lecturers who went abroad for study purposes and have not returned, it was revealed during a Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) meeting held recently.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) was summoned before the COPE which met on April 28 under the Chairmanship of MP Ranjith Bandara to discuss many issues related to the university system and higher education in Sri Lanka.

The discussion took place on the basis of 10 points which were brought to the attention of COPE and the COPE made several recommendations to the UGC regarding reforms in the higher education sector.

During the discussion held regarding the lecturers who did not return after leaving the country to pursue further education abroad, the Committee members said that they should take action to recover this amount from the relevant guarantors.

It was revealed that only 84 of the 617 lecturers who went abroad have made the relevant payments so far. Accordingly, the Committee recommended that COPE be informed about the measures taken in this regard within a month.

It was also disclosed that a software engineering degree course has been introduced by the Open University at a cost of Rs.90,000 per year. While stating that usually in a private university such a degree costs Rs. 2-3 million, the UGC Chairman pointed out that this degree can be completed for less than Rs.300,000.

Accordingly, the Committee members advised the Commission to take steps to inform the people about this through the district coordination committees.

News

Upcountry train services disrupted

Published

3 mins ago

June 1, 2023

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Train services along the upcountry railway line were disrupted due to a rock slip on the railway line between Haliela and Uduwara Railway Stations this morning (01), the Railways Department said.

Passengers said that while the Udarata Menike train was travelling from Badulla to Colombo at 5.45 this morning, the driver saw the collapsed earth mound and immediately stopped the train preventing a major accident.

The Railways Department said that the restoration of the railway line is currently being done.

News

Annamale complains to IGP against Kassapa Thera!

Published

45 mins ago

June 1, 2023

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Social activist Kandasamy Annamale Sujith Priyantha alias Sujith Annamale has lodged a complaint to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) yesterday (31) saying that he and his family members have received death threats due to a statement made by Balangoda Kassapa Thera.

The complaint made by Annamale said;

“In a press conference held today (31/05/2023), Balangoda Kassapa Thera said, “Who helped from within the Aragalaya? Sujith Annamale… Sujith Annamale is the one who helped. Therefore, the CID should arrest them as soon as possible and produce them in court. If not, all the Buddhist monks behind me will take it to the street. We will not allow the Buddhist culture of this country to be destroyed.”

Annamale said that due to this statement, the life and property of his family members could be at risk.

“Therefore, please look into it and conduct a proper investigation as soon as possible and ensure the safety of my life and my property,” he said.

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News

Smoking kills 55 a day in SL

Published

2 hours ago

June 1, 2023

editor

According to the Alcohol & Drug Information Centre (ADIC), 55 deaths occur daily in Sri Lanka due to smoking.

The Centre said that 20,000 premature deaths also occur due to the use of cigarettes per year.

Sri Lankans spend Rs.400 million rupees on cigarettes daily.

A survey conducted by the ADIC said that the majority of smokers in Sri Lanka are people from low-income families.

Meanwhile, Dr. Wathsala Gunasinghe, an expert in respiratory diseases, said that more children and youth are addicted to e-cigarettes causing many health complications.

She said this at a news briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau in view of World No-Tobacco Day yesterday (31).