Fonds LK-NA/293 - Ministry of Higher Education

The Ministry of Higher Education was established on the 29th March, 1978. Prior to 1978 the activities pertaining to Higher Education were carried out by the National Council of higher Education. This Council was constituted under the provisions of the Higher Education Act No.20 of 1966 and kept under the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Higher Education functioned under the President of Sri Lanka upto February, 1989 thereafter it was assigned to a Senior Cabinet Minister. This Ministry is responsible for the formulation and implementing of the Higher Education System throughout the Island. It administers all Universities, Technical Institutes, Junior Technical Institutes and Buddhasravaka Dharmapitaya, Foreign Scholarships and Fellowships.
The main objectives of the Ministry of Higher Education were to devise a Scheme for University Education including traditional as well as Open University with the intention of promoting the development of a high level of learning and professional skills in the fields of Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Humanities etc. and to devise a suitable system for the acquisition of Technical knowledge and Training through Technical Institutes. The promotion of Moral and Spiritual development among future generations is to be achieved through Buddhasravaka Dharmapitaya (Ecclessiastical Institute)