SAITM students urge President to ensure no discrimination

Despite commending President Maithripala Sirisena on his ruling regarding the SAITM issue, SAITM students nonetheless called on the President to ensure that all SAITM students are transferred to the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) without discrimination. 

Addressing a press conference yesterday, the SAITM Students Action Committee (SSAC) urged the Government to transfer all students of SAITM despite differences in qualifications.

“We strongly urge, with respect, that all students currently enrolled in our university must be absorbed into the solution as we have all met the required criteria when entering this institution as per the UGC and Ministry of Higher Education, with each student having undergone an individual interview by a panel consisting of representatives from the said authorities,” SSAC Convener Shanaka De Saram said. 

The Committee also stressed that the Supreme Court must give a ruling regarding the predicament faced by SAITM graduates.

“A clear solution should be given to the current graduates of SAITM through a decision of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, with no interventions or obstructions to the court proceedings, as we trust in the Supreme Court to uphold the integrity of the law of Sri Lanka,” De Saram said.

The SSAC pointed out that till the final solution of transfer to KDU is implemented, all SAITM students should be allowed to continue their academic work. 

“The continuation of our studies should be made a priority without interruption during the interim period and until the implementation of the final solution. We sincerely hope that all undergraduates will be placed in their current academic year,” De Saram said. 

They also highlighted the need to bring in new legislation to pertaining to the enrolment of SAITM students to the KDU.

“Our intentions are to be able to practice as doctors in the Sri Lankan health sector, in both state and private fields without further hindrance and without limiting ourselves to the military service, and necessary legislative changes should be made in order to do so before enrolment. Concerning legislative changes that are required to be addressed before our enrolment into KDU, we request that they be carried out in an expedited manner such that no further ambiguity can be raised later on with regards to validity and registration of our degree with the SLMC or other parties,” De Saram said.