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36 CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT

or less a single Act of Parliament. Thus, everywhere, meaning that and the role they can play
the adherence to the interpretations of learners do not have to be in providing education to
the Act had been quite arduous, giving
rise to productivity and the outputs confined to institute premises. the A/L qualified students,
being hampered. The UNIVOTEC gave ICT provides a platform for undergraduates, and
an opportunity to many students with collaborative education, graduates providing the
relevant mid-level qualifications to read enabling learners to interact necessary skills of both theory
for a degree recognized by the relevant with fellow learners, subject and practice putting them
professional bodies.
experts, mentors and many ahead of graduates in the
You have taught students at other stakeholders, including selection for jobs especially in
all levels such as graduate, industry personnel, spread the private sector?
post-graduate and foundation across the world. How can The Organization of Professional
levels and they number over an integrated ICT academic Associations (OPA), through its member
half a million - a very fulfilling platform boost future associations such as the Institute of
experience. You were the Guru economic prospects for Sri Certified Management Accountants
among Gurus. Many of your Lankans? of Sri Lanka (CMA) and the recently
enacted Acts of Parliament, could
students also reached exalted Online education through the ADB- aggressively monitor the interaction
positions. Can you recall a few sponsored “Distance Education and collaboration, especially in the
of them? Modernization Project” (DEMP) and Private Sector, for its members in the
the “Technical Education Development respective associations.
There is a large number of my former Project” (TEDP) were introduced and
students, and it may not be proper to implemented with ICT provision for All A/L qualified students in
recall them by name lest I miss some of collaboration and interaction of learners Sri Lanka are not able to do
them. But I could mention that among and experts, mentors, interaction with
them there had been Cabinet Ministers, industry, thus contributing towards a degree especially in the
Members of Parliament, Secretaries of economic national development efforts Science, IT, and Engineering
Ministries, Vice Chancellors, Chairmen/ in the country. streams, and there is a delay in
Members of Governing Boards of entry of students to university
State Corporations and Private Sector The skills gap is more
Organizations, and Academic staff. prominent in the faculties resulting in them being unable
to obtain their degrees at the
of arts and humanities
Sri Lanka needs to have mid- age of 21 or 22. Further, this
level qualified personnel in than in professional degree is a drain on the country due
various disciplines of study programmes, as their to the aging population. Do
as they proceed up the ladder relevance and quality are you think a system of a private
regulated by their respective
to a degree and above. What professional bodies. How can college system used by Oxford
were the new developments and Cambridge can meet
you have introduced during the private sector partner with these challenges?
your tenure at the Tertiary higher education institutions There are many avenues available
and Vocational Education to address skills gaps between for Tertiary and Vocation Education
academia and the professional
Commission as its Chairman? as detailed in the Annual “TVET
world? Guide” published by the TVEC and
The Tertiary and Vocational Education in the Publications on “Admission to
Commission (TVEC) is the Regulatory The skills gaps are becoming more Universities” under the UGC, including
Monitoring body of the TVET sector prominent in all faculties due to the Open University of Sri Lanka which
leading to National Vocational insufficient interaction and liaison with are established under separate Acts of
Qualifications (NVQ), and during industry despite accreditation by the Parliament, and also through approved
my tenure, the Recognition of Prior relevant professional bodies and this “Degree Awarding Institutes”, together
Learning (RPL), together with the situation can be improved by greater recognized foreign degrees awarded
Mature Candidate Route (MCR), were participation by the Private Sector as by offshore universities
consolidated, and the Computerization a coordinating body for the relevant
of Assessment Division was discipline of study and the profession. A system of Affiliated University
established. Colleges (AUCs) was established in
What Is the importance you the early 1990s with mid-level Diploma
ICT (Information and will give to professional Awarding Colleges affiliated with
most of the conventional universities.
Communications Technology) accounting bodies such as Unfortunately, the parent universities
makes access to education CMA which have been set were not in a position to provide
possible at any time and up by an Act of Parliament lateral entry to the diploma holders

www.cma-srilanka.org | Volume 06 - No. 2 - September 2021