Two thousand Maths, Science teaching appointments soon: PM

Two thousand Maths and Science teaching appointments will be given to those who have passed the Advanced Levels as their minimum education requirements, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was speaking as Chief Guest at the maiden awards ceremony of the Benedict XIV Catholic Institute for Higher Education yesterday.
The Prime Minister said that those who are given a chance to join the teaching service after passing their A/Ls will be provided an opportunity to complete a degree specially designed for them while engaging in teaching simultaneously.
"We have held discussions with a number of private Higher Education Institutes to get them enrolled into three- year degree programme, specially designed for them," the Prime Minister said.
"The present job employment industry is in need of skilled personnel. We have to match the skills of the those who pass out from universities with the demand of the job market.
For this, we need the support of the Government and private sectors. In many countries, there are basically three sectors which provide education.
Those are the government degree awarding bodies, Private profit oriented degree awarding bodies and Private non profit awarding bodies," the Prime Minister said.
"In Sri Lanka, we lack this third party. Therefore, as a government we encourage religious institutions to engage in higher education providing," the Prime Minister added.
Archbishop His Eminence Malcom Cardinal Ranjith, Minister John Amaratunge, State Minister Sudarshini Fernandopulle were also present on the occasion.
BCI at Blowalana, Negombo which is affiliated to Aquinas University College in Colombo is the brainchild of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith.