Japan provides HRD scholarships for Sri Lanka’s public sector

The Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resources Development Scholarship (JDS) Programme was introduced in Sri Lanka in 2010 by the Government of Japan in order to provide opportunities to the executive level public officials of Sri Lanka to undergo Master Degree Programmes in prominent universities in Japan. 

Two phases (Frameworks) of this programme have already been implemented. The first Framework was implemented during the year 2010 - 2013 and the second Framework during the year 2014 - 2017. Altogether 90 officials were provided opportunities to pursue their studies in universities Japan in the fields of Policy and Public Finance, Public Administration, Regional Development, and Macro and Development Economics.

The selection procedure of the second batch of the second Framework has already been completed and they will commence their studies in September 2015.

In order to facilitate the officials of this batch, the Government of Japan has offered a grant assistance of Japanese Yen 226 million (approximately Rs. 245 million) to Sri Lanka for the year 2015.The Government of Sri Lanka expects that the public officers who will be benefited under this programme will contribute to the social and economic development of the country in a productive manner with self - confidence. It will also contribute to strengthen the bilateral relationship between two countries.

An Exchange of Notes between two governments and a Grant Agreement between the Sri Lanka and the JICA for the implementation of the Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme were signed recently at the Ministry of Finance. 

Relevant documents were signed by R H S Samaratuna, Secretary, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, Kenichi Suganuma, Ambassador of Japan in Sri Lanka on behalf of the Government of Japan and Hiroyuki Abe, Chief Representative of JICA on behalf of the JICA.