The Leadership and Positive Attitude Development Programme catering to the new University entrants amounting to over 20 thousand students is being conducted successfully.

Many academics have praised the programme saying that they wish that they had such free positive programmes during their time before entering the University. They have also requested those students selected to Universities not to listen to the bankrupt politicians but treat the training programme positively and to get the maximum benefit out of this golden opportunity to shape their future.

Some thanking the Minister of Higher Education for introducing this long overdue requirement has said that the university life of children who will enter the university system in the future will be a pleasant and rewarding one, and they will not come out of the system with hate, jealousy and naivety filled in their heads; instead they will be capable leaders fluent in English, skilled in computer applications and equipped with knowledge to take on the world. In short, complete in all aspects of education

The Ministry of Higher Education informs that students attending this programme in 28 training centres participated in the programme during the first week with much enthusiasm and interest. In the first stage, training is being provided to 10 thousand students.

The students informed that the training they are receiving prior to the entry to the universities would greatly help them for the success of their future. The objective of this programme is to inculcate leadership qualities in the students.

Under this programme the students are provided with training on performing their activities systematically and training on sport activities. The programme was officially launched at the Temple Trees last Monday under the chairmanship of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and 3000 students participated in the launching ceremony, from the training camps in and around Colombo.

Other students participating in the programme were linked to the inaugural ceremony through e-conferencing. Over 80 male and female students are participating in the programme at the Panagoda Army Camp in Homagama. They informed that this training is very much important for their future life. They said that it is a great impetus to them to participate in a progrmme of this nature before entering the university, and it is a great opportunity to improve their leadership qualities. They also said that their parents became fearful when there were posters saying that they will be given military training, but when they call their parents now they feel very happy for they are being able to get a training of this nature as civil citizens of this country.

The subjects covered in the training include physical exercises, first aid, lessons on history, leadership, conflict management, psychology, and about the sexual harassment, law of the country, social customs, hostel rituals and personal hygiene.

Only certain politicians have criticized the training and their only argument is the holding of this programme in military training camps. Prominent among them is the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and its Students Union who have been blamed being responsible for many deaths of University students in the recent past and making the Universities a battle ground very often and even on issues that are not related to the Universities.

The government has clarified that only in the military camps the infrastructure facilities are available to conduct a training programme of three weeks extent to such a large number of students. In the meantime the Minister of Higher Education has vowed that in future no one will be allowed to rag the new students, and anyone found ragging fellow students junior to them will be immediately expelled from the