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38 CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT

for the mismatch at graduation, leading
to discontentment, under-employment,
and even frustration. Such situations
would be due to the inconsistent vision
of some academics, and with a blind
eye being turned by the decision-
makers would also not help the
situation.
Dissatisfactions and/or mismatching
among graduates is the result of
“inappropriate raw material being used
to obtain the final product”. This can
be best illustrated by an overall view of
Universities in Sri Lanka.
Basically, there are four groups of
Universities in Sri Lanka. They are:
1. Conventional Universities and
Institutes under the University
Grants Commission (UGC).
2. Several Universities under
separate Acts of Parliament
or Ordinances, e.g., the Open
University of Sri Lanka (OUSL).
Though under the provisions of
the Universities Act of 1978 (as
amended), it has its own Ordinance
specifying the unique characteristics
it should have with open entry with
Foundation Courses and exit.
The students should be on distance
mode gaining their experience while
in their respective occupations. The
duration of degree courses is not based
on whether it is a three or four-year
degree programme, but on knowledge
gained by credits accumulated and
through experience acquired and
required for the industry. In short, OUSL and the “affluent” graduates from recruitment in the public sector should
should be the leading ODL university in such universities would readily accommodate the recruitment of such
the country for these reasons. obtain employment locally, mainly graduates.
in the private sector, or proceed
Similarly, the UNIVOTEC should be overseas for employment. This type of streamlining and rational
the leading Competent Based Training categorizations would reduce
(CBT) University in Sri Lanka. Wasn’t 4. There are other State Universities brain drain, unemployability, and
it set up for Career development in established for specific purposes dissatisfaction among graduates.
Vocational Technology? Or, was it such as the University of Vocational
set up to compete with Engineering Technology, Kotelawala Defense There could be many such
Faculties of four-year degrees such University, Ocean University of irrational planning or development
as in Peradeniya, Moratuwa, Ruhuna Sri Lanka, and others already being allowed giving rise to brain
and other Conventional University established for specific purposes drain, unemployability, and skills
Engineering Faculties of Sri Lanka? Or or being set up for such specific mismatching, causing dissatisfaction
were the Graduates in Technology from purposes. among the youth of the land and
UNIVOTEC expected to be leading In summary, these four categories industry.
researchers in Engineering or academic of universities should not attempt
staff at conventional engineering to unhealthily compete among the The panacea for this is effective career
faculties? Certainly not! categories and defeat the purpose guidance along with responsible,
3. Also, there are Offshore of such natural categorization, but logical, and rational academic planning
Universities offering professionally compete within each category on a and development of tertiary education,
recognized degree programmes, healthy basis logically. The schemes of especially university education.

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