Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-04-26

Construction of Hostels for the University Students under the Expeditious Project of Construction of Hostels

- The Government, according to the Budget proposals of 2016, considers the provision of hostel facilities to all university students as its responsibility and as such, it is anticipated to complete this task by the year 2018. The second phase of the project for construction of 60 hostels being implemented at present is expected to be completed by mid 2016. With the completion of this project, it will be possible to provide hostel facilities approximately for 62% of the students of the National Universities and the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technology (SLIAT) who should be provided with hostel facilities. Accordingly, with a view to providing an expeditious solution to the hostel issue, which is the most acute problem prevailing in universities in general, along with the problem of providing hostel facilities for the future intake of students in the Technological Stream as well, the proposal made by Hon. Lakshman Kiriella, the Minister of Higher Education and Highways, to construct 16 hostels for the students of the National Universities and SLIAT, utilizing the Budgetary provisions of 2016, was approved by the Cabinet.