The Cabinet of Ministers considering the proposal by the Education Minister approved the establishment of Town Colleges and University Colleges as higher education institutes that award degrees suitable for the job opportunities by enhancing the required skills in the production sectors in the relevant districts and for formulating legal provisions required for the purpose.
02. MOU between Sri Jayawardhanapura University and the Sungkyunkwan University of Korea.
A proposal has been made to enter into an agreement between the University of Sri Jayawardhanapura and the University of Sungkyunkwan of Korea in order to increase the corporation in the development of the syllabus development of the first degree on immunology and the molecular biology, to assist in inauguration of study programmes as well as planning and implementation of novel research programmes for secondary and junior university students for exchanging study and cultural factors in the fields of immunology and the molecular biology. Cabinet approved the resolution furnished by the Education Minister for signing the relevant memorandum of understanding between the two parties.
03. Establishment of Hardy Institute of Technology (HIT)
The Hardy Technological Institute was inaugurated at the beginning as a technical training institution in order to provide formal engineering knowledge to the technical officers aiming at Gal Oya Development project which is the first ever multi-purpose reservoir project implemented parallel to the development requirements prevailed during the 1960s. The structure and the subject arena of the institution had changed in various ways. The institution is operated as two institutes as Hardy Technical College awarding National Vocational Qualification level 5 (NVQ-5) and National Vocational Qualification level 6 (NVQ- 6) to those students with sufficient educational qualifications but deprived of main higher education stream and awarding the previously conducted NDT Agriculture course by Hardy Higher Technical Institute (HARTI) which was then established under Sri Lanka Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE). Cabinet granted their concurrence to the proposal tabled by the Education Minister to amalgamate the two institutions under one independent establishment named “Hardy Institute of Technology (HIT)” and take measures to amend the relevant act since it has been recognized that the structures and the course content is required to be changed for casting entrepreneurs fortified with higher technological know-how that cater to the requirements expand the economy as well as to accelerate the economic development as per the economic agenda of the present government.
04. Implementation of digitalisation of Terrestrial Television Telecasting in Sri Lanka under Japanese loan grants.
Terrestrial television transmission is being gradually converting from Analog methodology to digital methodology making it an essential fact to get adjusted to this global trend. Accordingly, applicable decisions had been taken to convert the telecasting from Analog methodology to digital methodology, those decisions are not yet being implemented. It has been decided to introduce ISDB -T technology to Sri Lanka as applicable followed by a feasibility study carried out by the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA). Converting to digital technology enables to utilize a part of the frequency spectrum consumed at present for the use of wireless network service to enhance internet access in remote areas. Cabinet approved the consolidated proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Technology and the Minister of Mass Media for implementing the digitalisation project for terrestrial television telecasting in Sri Lanka.
05. “Youth Centre” Project with High-Impact Community Centres
The existing facilities are inadequate for the Sri Lankan youth to find solutions through dialogue and consensus on the educational. health, civil and political issues they face in order to spend an effective social life through exchanging their thoughts. Particularly, regional level opportunities and venues to organize and engage in such activities voluntarily are limited. As a solution to this situation, it has been identified that it is appropriate to create proper places for them to gather in a familiar environment to use their time effectively. To this end, it is planned to identify abandoned government schools or other buildings with adequate space at the local level and implement a programme to establish high impact youth community centers that generate multiple opportunities and activities. This project will be implemented as a public and private sector joint venture and it is expected to build youth community centers in all the Divisional Secretariats in the island within 5 years. Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal made by the Youth and Sports Minister to implement the programme in stages and to establish 25 youth centers covering all districts as the first phase.
06. Purchasing School Uniform materials for 2022
School uniform materials for 2022 are scheduled to be issued before the end of the final term 2021. The Cabinet of Ministers has previously decided that school uniform materials should be purchased from local manufacturers, encouraging them.Ministers approved the resolution presented by the Education Minister to call for bids from local textile manufacturers registered under the Industries Ministry and select suitable suppliers.
07. Enactment of an Act to regulate Buddhist publications
As stated in Chapter 2, Article 9 of the Constitution, the republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana. It has been found that various books, publications, CDs and other creations are being published distorting pure Buddhism and Buddhist traditions. Therefore it has been found appropriate to enact an Act containing provisions to regulate them. Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Prime Minister in his capacity as Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill to regulate Buddhist publications.
08. Amendment of Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act No 3 of 2003.
Cabinet approval has been granted on 21.12.2020 to prepare a Bill to amend the loan and guarantee provisions declared in Fiscal Management (Responsibility) Act No 3 of 2003. Legal Draftsman has prepared the relevant bill accordingly and the Attorney General’s clearance has also been received. The cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Prime Minister in his capacity as Finance Minister to publish the Bill in the Gazette and then submit it to Parliament for approval.
09. Drafting a hill to register the Dairy Entrepreneurs’ Societies.
Although the Dairy Entrepreneurs Societies that have been registered at the district and provincial levels in order to encourage entrepreneurs in the dairy industry are active, all Dairy Entrepreneurs’ Societies operating under the auspices of the government are not functioning as a common organization. Therefore, when taking necessary steps to uplift the said industry, the need has arisen to register the Dairy Entrepreneurs’ Societies under one legal framework at the regional, district, provincial and all island level under such a common structure. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal tabled by the Minister of Agriculture to advice the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill for the registration of the Dairy Entrepreneurs’ Societies for this purpose.
10. Establishing the role of the Department of Manpower and Employment on a legal basis.
The Department of Manpower and Employment has been established in the year 2010 by an Extraordinary Gazette Notification as per the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers. The Department is tasked with formulating and implementing a National Manpower and Employment Policy, Job creation and Promotion, Career Guidance, Labor Market Information Collection, Analysis, Distribution and the functions carried out by the “Rakiya Piyasa”. It is expected to achieve the objectives of reducing the unemployment rate in the country, reducing unemployment and acclimating and managing manpower according to future trends. It has been recognized the need for the Department to have a formal legal status in the performance of the said functions and it has been seen the suitability of establishing it by an Act of the Parliament. The Cabinet granted the approval for the proposal tabled by the Youth and Sports Minister to establish the role of the Department of Manpower and Employment on a legal basis and to advice the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill containing provisions thereto.
11. Laws to protect against the spreading of false and misleading statements through Internet.
The spread of false information on the Internet poses a serious threat and is seen as being used to divide society, to spread hatred and to weaken democratic institutions. Various countries have already taken steps to legislate in order to address this problem. Steps should be taken to provide access to accurate information to citizens and civil society by introducing a new law to protect society from the harm caused by false propaganda on the Internet. Cabinet granted the approval for the resolution tabled by the Justice Minister and the Mass Media Minister to advice the Legal Draftsman to draft a Bill for the relevant issue.
