Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-03-06

Establishment of the Faculty of Medicine in the Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka

- The University of Sabaragamuwa established as a National University in the year 1996, is presently, a University comprising of 7 Faculties. In accordance with the policy of the Government to expand the medical education, a sum of Rs.1,250 million has been set apart from the Budget of 2018 to commence the Medical Faculties of the Universities of Wayamba, Moratuwa and Sabaragamuwa. Under this programme, it has been planned to commence the Medical Faculty of the University of Sabaragamuwa in 2018 with the admission of 75 Medical Students. The construction of a building for the Medical Faculty has been planned in the year 2019 and until then building accommodation facilities have to be sorted out.

Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Lakshman Kiriella, the then Minister of Higher Education and Highways with the concurrence of the present Minister as well, to vest the land and the building complex located close to Batuhena school in Ratnapura - Colombo main road belonging to the Auditor General's Department formally with the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways with a view to conducting the activities of the Faculty, was approved by the Cabinet.