‘SAITM issue, a ruse to topple government’

The protest against the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) is not with the aim of abolishing the institution but a ruse to topple the government, SAITM Parents’ Association President Gemunu Wijeratne said.

Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo yesterday, Wijeratne requested these forces not to use the SAITM issue to satisfy their narrow political desires.

Wijeratne pointed out that solutions for the SAITM medical graduates were only limited to newspaper advertisements and that the responsible parties have not put them into execution.“We urge President Maithripala Sirisena to establish an independent body to support the execution of the solutions for provisional registration of SAITM medical graduates”, he added.

Wijeratne said local university students’ education is fully funded by the public who pay taxes to provide them with quality education.

“It is their loss to abstain from attending lectures. So, there is no right for the state university students including the Inter University Students’ Federation to protest to safeguard free education. SAITM students pay for their education. Therefore, there is no threat to free education and it is well safeguarded.”

He said it was not equitable and practical to nationalise only the medical education while doctors engage in private practice.

The Higher Education Ministry holds 51% ownership of the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).