Protests against SAITM continue
by Isuri Yasasmin Kaviratne
 |
Students protesting
Pic:Saman Sri Wedage |
Nearly 130-day silent protests opposite medical faculties around the
country, a public sitting on Thursday night and a symbolic protest on
Friday morning opposite the Fort Railway Station fell on deaf ears as
university students continue to resist private universities in Sri
Lanka, including South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine.(SAITM).
A collaboration of Inter University Students Federation and the
Medical Faculty Students' Action Committee staged a sitting protest this
week, demanding the abolition of SAITM,
Convenor of IUSF, Lahiru Weerasekera said the apathy faced by them at
the hands of the government will not prevent undergraduates from
fighting for their cause. He said the only discussion they had was with
the State Minister for Higher Education Mohan Lal Grero in November
2015, who told them that he cannot answer questions against government
policy.
"The other Ministers, including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
have made public statements about the unwillingness to abolish SAITM and
did not accede to giving them a hearing and our side of the story," he
said.
However, he said medical students were determined to continue with
their protests until they receive a favourable response from the
government.
Convenor of the Medical Faculty Students' Action Committee Ryan
Jayathileka said the protests will continue, till sub-standard private
universities were abolished in Sri Lanka. |