SAITM responds to ‘self proclaimed’ SAITM Parents Association

In an official statement circulated, SAITM management declared that the SAITM Parents Association headed by Gemunu Wijeratne has no relation to SAITM nor is it the official association for the parent body of SAITM students and that it was merely a platform where Mr.Wijeratne expressed his personal opinion.

SAITM management and majority of the parent body expressed their support to a solution put forward by the Sri Lankan government. The conjoined committee expressed their stance stating that the Presidential committee on SAITM headed by Dr. Harsha de Silva clearly declared that the solution to the current issue is not abolishing the SAITM medical program.

It was also stated that the committee will conform to a resolution formulated that abides by the national policy to enable non-state higher education, including medical education.

The statement read that the committee supports all government efforts to establish a minimum standard for medical education for both private and state medical faculties devoid of discrimination to ensure the maintenance of quality within the country.

The Official statement reads as follows,

We wish to inform the Sri Lankan public that the management and the majority of the parents are fully supportive of a solutionput forward by the Government of Sri Lanka. The 5 member Presidential Committee report headed by Dr. Harsha de Silva, has clearly stated that abolishment of the institution is not the solution. The Committee is of the view that the solution proposed to resolve the current issues must be in accordance with the Government’s policy to enable non-state higher education, including medical education.

The 5 member Presidential Committee has already addressed the Deans proposals, which are proposals which cannot be implemented in the current legal framework. Furthermore, SAITM has already expressed its views on the Presidential Committee report, where SAITM will extend its fullest support to Government’s commitment to maintain quality and standards of medical education. This includes broad-basing ownership and temporarily suspending the students’ admission for the MBBS programme.

SAITM also welcomes the initiative to legally establish standards, which should be applicable to both state and non-state faculties sans discrimination. Accreditation and quality assurance will ensure that standards in medical education are maintained.

SAITM management wishes to reiterate that the self-acclaimed SAITM Parents Association headed by Mr. Gamunu Wijeratne has no relation nor is it the official association of parents for SAITM. It is an association where Mr. Wijeratne voices his personal opinion and not the view of the majority of parents. Therefore, SAITM and its Management will not be held responsible for the statements given through this association.

SAITM has and always will abide by the laws of the country and extend its fullest cooperation to the Government of Sri Lanka to expedite a just and expeditious solution for its MBBS graduates and undergraduates.

– South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine