Present Government has accorded high priority to establish a quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) System that could effectively meet the changing needs of our economy and society that are continuously affected by globalization and technological advancements.

Minister of Vocational and Technical Training Piyasena Gamage participating at the awarding ceremony for the expertise in the vocational training sector in Sri Lanka said that the Government has identified human resource development as the key factor in expanding socio-economic development in the country. He added that human resource development could wide open the paths for young generation to engage in professions in the industrial sector with proper vocational training.

Minister added that the international community has praised the Government mission in achieving this long felt need. “Such encouragements would strengthen our moral,” he said.

The event was organized to commemorate the midpoint of the United Nations world wide campaign to end global poverty through the implementation of Millennium Development Goals, which fell on the 7th of July this year. This was organized by the Sri Lanka-United Nations Friendship Organization (SUNFO) in collaboration with the CCF- Sri Lanka.

Prof. Lakshman Madurasinghe who made an informative speech about the current global challenges and their applications to a developing country like Sri Lanka said that 8 principles known as Millennium Development Goals (MDG) has a direct relationship with the ascending figure in global population. The world population would range in 7.8 to 10 billion by the year 2015 which is currently at 6.6 billion.
 
“The problems we encounter with the up climbing of population are not only confined to the limitation of ‘space’ but also the scarcity of resources to fulfill the demand,” he said. 

Prof Madurasinghe said that in today’s world 1.6 billion people are living without basic sanitary facilities. 30 million children are under nourished. The number of unemployed youths is increasing. These issues would create sever threats globally, and the arising population would worsen the situation.

“Eradicating poverty and hunger are main two challenges that the world faces today. It is estimated that 5% of Sri Lankan population is below the poverty line.

“Primary Education is another concern of the United Nation’s Development goals. Sri Lanka has the recorded highest standard in literacy, which is at 95%, but there should be a systematic process to apply this gained knowledge for the betterment of the individual and the country, with out confining the knowledge to book.”  

He said that the world has shown a progress in treating the global challenge of Gender Equality. “There is an improvement in over coming this challenge,” he added.

Quoting a statement of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki- moon Professor said that, “the world does not need any new promises”. If all the promises that the leaders and other responsible parties have made to the world can be achieved this world would be the best.

Professor also added that strong government leadership, good policies, practical strategies and financial and technical support from the international community is essential to achieve these MDG by the target year 2015.