Medical faculty teachers and students not satisfied
The Government's proposals to settle the crisis over the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) have received mixed reactions.
Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sugathadasa said actions would be taken soon to implement the recommendations made by the presidential committee appointed to find a just solution to the crisis.
According to the secretary, the Attorney General's advice has been sought on working out the minimum standards for medial education and the award of degrees. The Gazette is expected to be issued before December 31.
Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Naveen De Soysa said the written order to abolish SAITM's medical faculty a positive step.
He said the Government had accepted that the SAITM medical faculty was a fraud and was not competent to award medical degrees.
Dr. Soysa said President in consultation with the Sri Lankan Medical Council would find a solution for SAITM medical students.
However an SLMC spokesman said it had not received any official request but had only got information through the media.
Meanwhile, Vice Chancellors of State Universities have also issued a statement welcoming the solution.
However, the Federation of the Faculty of Medicine Teachers’ Association (FFMTA) is not happy with the solution and wants medical education confined to the state sector.
The Medical Faculty Students’ Action Committee Convener, Ryan Jayalath, also said little or nothing had changed with the new recommendations.
“We are against institutions selling degrees to students," he said.