An ongoing study by the University of Peradeniya reveals that 50%+ of state university graduates in some disciplines are migrating permanently, never returning to Sri Lanka.
In the hardest-hit departments, migration rates have soared to 80–90%, while taxpayers shoulder an annual cost of Rs. 87 billion
Sri Lanka has 142,000 undergraduates currently in state universities, and 44,000 new enrollments annually
– 25% Arts
– 20% Management & Commerce
– 13% Engineering
– 10% Medical/Health
– 11% Agriculture etc
According to the 2023 Data, the Government spent Rs. 87 billion on university education.
Most who migrate are the best graduates who secure the highest performance at the university level with Science-based degrees, seeing “almost all students leaving” along with Agriculture and Engineering, precisely the skills Sri Lanka needs most
Study recommends migrants reimburse the government USD 10,000-15,000 per graduate, or send USD 50,000 to family in Sri Lanka to recover portion of public investment – but enforceability remains questionableResearchers acknowledge the contradiction: can’t force graduates to stay due to unemployment and low wages, parents actively support migration, and private/government sector salaries can’t compete with overseas opportunities – classic middle-income country trap
The Study suggests “making entrepreneurs from university education,” but this requires startup ecosystem development, access to capital, market opportunities, regulatory reforms, and a cultural shift toward risk-taking.
Sri Lanka’s free education system has inadvertently become a development aid program for other countries, with billions in taxpayer investment flowing overseas through skilled migration. Until the nation can create economic conditions that make staying as attractive as leaving, this costly export of human capital will continue unabated.
@numbers.lk
(Source: Prof. Wasantha Athukorala and Laksman Kumara at the University of Peradeniya vis Dailymirror)