1727/’17
Hon. Bimal Rathnayake,— To ask the Minister of Higher Education and Highways,—
(a) Will he inform this House —
(i) of the names of the education institutes in which students receiving the Mahapola Scholarship are studying;
(ii) whether payment of the Mahapola Scholarship gets delayed by three months after students are admitted to 1st year of certain universities; and
(iii) if so, of the reasons for the aforesaid situation?
(b) If not, why?
Asked Date
2017-09-22
Asked by
Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P.
Ministry
Highways & Road Development
Legislature
Eighth Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka
Session
First Session
* සභාමේසය මත තබන ලද පිළිතුර:
* சபாபீடத்தில் வைக்கப்பட்ட விடை :
* Answer tabled:
(a) (i) This is a question that should be directed to the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade.
However, the answer received from that Ministry is mentioned in Annexe 01.*
(ii) Yes.
(iii) The reason is that a formal procedure has to be followed in order to select students for Mahapola Scholarships.
That procedure is given in Annexe 02**. However, it is reported that plans have been made to implement an IT based
programme for selection of students for Mahapola Scholarships in future parallel to the IT based
programme, which is being launched for enrolment of students for universities. Accordingly, it will be able
to curtail this period further up to about 02 months.
(b) Does not arise.
*Annexe 01
01. All the Universities and Higher Education Institutes coming under the purview of the University Grants Commission.
1) University of Peradeniya
2) University of Colombo
3) University of Sri Jayewardenepura
4) University of Kelaniya
5) University of Moratuwa
6) University of Ruhuna
7) University of Jaffna
8) Eastern University of Sri Lanka
9) South Eastern University of Sri Lanka
10) Rajarata University
11) Sabaragamuwa University
12) Wayamba University
13) University of the Visual and Performing Arts
14) Uwa Wellassa University
15) Institute of Indigenous Medicine
16) University of Colombo School of Computing
17) Swamy Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies
18) Sri Palee Campus
19) Trincomalee Campus
20) Gampaha Wickramarachchi Ayurveda Institute
21) Vavuniya Campus
22) Institute of Technology, University of Moratuwa
02. Higher Education Institutes that are coming under the purview of the Ministry of Higher Education
1) 18 Advanced Technological Institutes under the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE) - Mattakkuliya, Dehiwala, Samanthurai, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Badulla, Kegalle, Ampara, Kandy, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Nawala, Trincomalee, Labuduwa, Rathnapura, Tangalle, Vavuniya, Nawalapitiya.
2) Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka
3) Bhiksu University of Sri Lanka
03. Open University of Sri Lanka
04. National Institute of Social Development
05. Sri Lanka Law College
**Annexe 02
Reason for Delaying Mahapola Scholarship Payments
1. The selection of eligible students for Mahapola Scholarships is done by the University Grants Commission, and after the qualified students for university entrance have registered at Universities, the relevant applications are submitted to the University Grants Commission. Accordingly, relevant qualifications are scrutinized and the below-mentioned facts are taken into consideration.
I. Annual income of the family (Should be less than Rs. 3 lakhs).
II. The merit of the students at the Advanced Level examination.
III. In the family, whether there are children studying for Advanced Level or studying at a university, and the distance to the university.
It takes at least two months for finalizing the above scrutiny of qualifications and to send the finalized list of scholarship recipients to the Mahapola Trust Fund.
2. Mahapola Trust Fund again inquiries whether those scholarship recipients accept the Mahapola scholarships, and it takes approximately 03 months period for the complete process including the time taken for printing of scholarship certificates and compilation of paying registries after having received those scholarship applications.
Accordingly, from the time of commencement of academic activities of the students, approximately, 04 to 05 months have been lapsed when starting the payment of scholarship payments. Since the commencement of academic activities at universities is done at different instances within the year, students were granted the amount of 06 months’ instalments collectively at once, during the previous years.
3. Currently, since the selecting of students for universities has been computerized, the university admission is done promptly. Since the selection of students for Mahapola scholarships should be done, expeditiously, in parallel to that, the University Grants Commission together with the Mahapola Trust Fund has taken measures to introduce a computer software in that regard, and as its first step, it is expected to implement the pilot project through the University of Kelaniya.
4. As the selected scholarship recipients are scattered throughout the island, it is expected to prepare an awareness programme in relation to working combined with Grama Niladhari Divisions and Divisional Secretariats all over the country with regard to collection of data and computerizing them. Through that, it would be possible to get confirmed the relevant data for scrutinizing of qualifications of Mahapola scholarship recipients expeditiously by each Divisional Secretary. Through that, it is expected that it would be possible to perform the selection of students and payment of scholarship instalments within a short duration like two months after students are admitted to universities.
Answered Date
2017-09-22
Answered by
Hon. Lakshman Kiriella, Attorney at Law, M.P.
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