æz kˈæbᵻnət mˈɪnɪstɚɹ ʌv ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən ænd hˈaɪɚɹ ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən, wˈaɪdʒjɚɹˌætni ˌɪntɹədˈuːst ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾiz ˈækt nˈoʊ sˈɪkstiːn ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt tə pˈɑːɹləmənt.
As Cabinet Minister of Education and Higher Education, Wijeyeratne introduced the Universities Act No 16 of 1978 to Parliament.