HNDA receives degree recognition

By Ashwin Hemmathagama 

– Our Lobby Correspondent

The Cabinet of Ministers has agreed to give the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy (HNDA) equal recognition to that of the Bachelor of Commerce degree programme, Minister of Higher Education and Highways and Leader of the House of Parliament Lakshman Kiriella said at a media briefing held inside the Parliament Complex yesterday.

“HNDA students will have equal recognition, but it is not a degree that they will be taking. When entering into government jobs, where the entry criteria include a degree, an HNDA graduate will have equal recognition from now on,” he explained.

According to Minister Kiriella, the students already knew the Government had planned to give equal recognition to the HNDA before staging a protest march that ended with the police attacking them. “Instead of attacking the students, the police was supposed to bring five student representatives inside to meet us. The police officer who came inside to inform us that five students will be brought in suddenly left, leaving behind his walkie-talkie as well as his baton. We have returned the walkie-talkie but have kept the baton as evidence to prove the police came inside to inform as that they had allowed five students to meet us and discuss the matter,” the Minister said, visibly unhappy about the police action. “We also have children and any parent with children will not endorse police brutality. They too would have children of their own, and the behaviour of the police was bad,” said Minister Kiriella who charged that opposition political forces were taking advantage of a sensitive situation, resulting in poor students becoming victims.