The Prime Minister participated in the foundation stone laying ceremonies at the Narangalle National College of Education of Technology and Kuliyapitiya Teaching Hospital, market complex and library, and the opening ceremonies of the new Medical Faculty of the North Western University, Kuliyapitiya tunnel road network and Ilukhena-Beriwewa renovated road.
“We decided that the construction of the Central Expressway is necessary to develop Kurunegala. Its work is now progressing. The land value in this area will soar sharply now,” he said.“I can build the country and I request all to join this task,” he added. “We need our youngsters to be vocationally qualified. They should meet the great demand for skilled jobs that are now available in the local and global job markets. We will produce more school teachers of Information Technology who have university degrees in the relevant subject. They will be given four years of teacher training with practical knowledge. We will modernise the school education. We have made 13-year school education compulsory for the student population,” he said.
“My aim is to create a country with skilled youth. Within next 10 years, there will be no unskilled or professionally untrained youth in our country. In Japan and Korea, there are no unskilled youth at present. Unfortunately, we have not enough skilled youth. We will provide tabs to Advanced Level students and their teachers in September this year,” the Prime Minister said. A/L students of provincial schools too will be given tabs soon after that,” said the Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe laid the foundation stone for converting the Kuliyapitiya Base Hospital to a Teaching Hospital at a cost of Rs. 17,512 million. The Prime Minister also ceremonially opened the newly building complex of the Faculty of Medicine at the Wayamba University built at a cost of Rs 3,450 million. Education Minister Akila Vira Kariyawasam, Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Higher Education Minister Rauff Hakeem and Buddhasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera participated.