MAHAPOLA NOT PAID BURSARIES TO MEDICAL STUDENTS PUMS threatens ‘Fast unto Death’ campaign

Parents’ Union of Medical Students (PUMS) threatened yesterday that they would launch a ‘Fast unto Death’ campaign once again if the government did not resume paying ‘Mahapola Scholarship Bursaries’ to medical students immediately.

PUMS Executive member Wasantha Alwis said though 8,000 medical students at 8 State medical colleges and Kotalawala Defense University returned to lectures three months ago after their 10 months boycott of lectures and protests against the SAITM, the Higher Education Ministry had not paid their Mahapola Scholarship Bursaries so far.

“This is clear vengeance. The government is trying to take revenge from the students for staging protests against SAITM. Therefore, we as parents will

We are totally against private medical education and establishing of private medical faculties because they are much below the standard

re-launch our fast unto death campaign,” Mr. Alwis said.

He said a big majority of medical students were children of low middle class parents and they could not afford their expenses without the Mahapola bursaries.

Commenting on SAITM issue, he said doctors, medical students and their parents were against the running of a private medical faculty by SAITM. If the government intends to resume this private medical faculty going against all pledges given by the Higher Education Ministry and the UGC, they would once against resort to a protest campaign.

“We are totally against private medical education and establishing of private medical faculties because they are much below the standard and quality of education,” he stressed.

Mr. Alwis charged that the government had gone against all pledges given to the GMOA and PUMS and continues private medical education and added the UGC must find suitable replacements for SAITM medical students at State medical faculties.

Exco member of the PUMS, Asoka Ranwala questioned as to why the government could not pay Mahapola Bursaries to medical students if the Health Ministry pays Rs. 350 every month to SAITM on behalf of the Neville Fernando Hospital. He said the gazette notification issued indicating the minimum standard for medical education was a gimmick and could not be implemented.