Director: Daniel C. Levy

Calls to Allow Sri Lankan Private Expansion

PROPHE Summary (by Prachayani Praphamontripong):

Sri Lankan politicians and scholars call for revocation of the current laws that forbid private sector from establishing higher education institutions. They argue that while only 3 percent of the 18-25 cohort is enrolled in universities and only 10 percent in all tertiary education it is necessary to bolster private expansion. However, critics warn that negative consequences such as exploitation or profit-making by private providers may be anticipated if not strictly scrutinized by the government.

For the full story (shown with permission), see The Times Higher Education Supplement, August 19, 2005, "Call To Lift Ban On Private Institutions," by Swineetha Dias Wickramanayake, Colombo.

http://www.thes.co.uk/

PROPHE Observation (by Daniel C. Levy):

The arguments brought forth against and for private higher education expansion in Sri Lanka are fairly typical internationally. Apart from ideal positions, there is a strong argument that, like it or not, private expansion is the only viable route to greatly expanded access. The Sri Lankan case also illustrates the perhaps growing tendency for debates over such expansion to be quite publicly aired.