SAITM students in a quandary

by Rukshana Rizwie

The South Asian Institute of Technology and Management (SAITM) which has been gripped in controversy over the last few years has been dealt a fresh blow with the apex professional body, the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) refusing to register the college's first batch of graduates. A student of the college who had gone to the SLMC to seek registration was verbally refused citing that even if the students duly filled out forms and made written requests, it was not to be accepted. Dilshan Fernando an aggrieved student told the Sunday Observer that they were not informed the reasons why their registrations were refused. They are now in the process of preparing a petition seeking redress in the hope that the legal system would mete out justice.

Protests by SAITM students

When the Sunday Observer contacted Prof Carlo Fonseka, President, SLMC, he said, "The newly appointed committee which visited SAITM in July 2015, for various specified reasons found the institute not acceptable. It has been conveyed to the Health Minister on September 25 2015."

Letter

The letter is said to state: 'the degree awarded by SAITM should not be recognized for the purpose of registration under the Medical Ordinance.' According to the Medical Ordinance of 1988, 'students can apply to the council to be registered as medical practitioners if they "hold a Degree of Bachelor of Medicine or equivalent qualifications of any university or medical school of any country other than Sri Lanka, which is recognized by the Medical Council for the purpose of this section having regard to the standard of medical education of such university or medical school.'

Prof Fonseka said the inspection team has reported that clinical facilities, an essential requirement for potential doctors were unsatisfactory at the Malabe Medical faculty which dilutes the degree conferred.

Dilshan Fernando

Prof. Fonseka told the Sunday Observer that although the committee had submitted a comprehensive report to the Health Ministry, they were yet to receive an official reply.

He said the SLMC expects a response from the Health Ministry which will be communicated to the relevant institute.

"The government's policy is to encourage investment in education and as such, a private medical college needs to be supported," Secretary to the Ministry of Health Anura Jayawickrama told the Sunday Observer. He acknowledged that the Health Ministry had received the report and said, "It's up to the SLMC to check and rectify the matter, the responsibility was not vested with the Health Ministry."

Head of Department of Forensic Medicine, SAITM Prof Ananda Samarasekera told the Sunday Observer, under the Medical Ordinance, the SLMC 'has no right to legally refuse registration.'

"The Medical Council has to act in accordance with the rules specified in the Medical Ordinance. Under section 29 of the Ordinance MBBS degrees awarded by a recognized state or degree awarding institution are equal in terms of the law," he said.

Prof Samarasekera pointed out that the SLMC has guidelines but not regulations laid down on paper, approved by parliament and gazetted. "The committee had reported to the Ministry of Health the deficiencies based on their guidelines," he explained.

When asked of the predicament of the students, he said the management would see to it that the students have a future they worked hard for. "We have not achieved anything easily at SAITM, most of the time, we've had to go to courts. This instance is no different," he said.

Students' view

At a time when the first batch of students who passed out have been refused registration from the SLMC (19 of them) many wonder what makes SAITM students stay on.

"We have faith in the management of SAITM and the government," said Dilshan Fernando, who passed his final exams last month. "Before we signed up, we went through a series of consultations, and knew what we were getting into." He said the Chairman of the school personally met with the students and parents to appease their concerns.

He said, both, the present as well as the previous government have shown support.

Students like Dilshan and 18 others face a bleak future if the courts decide to rule in favour of the SLMC. "Our options are strictly limited," he said. "We will have no choice but to go to Russia and for a year to get the MD degree. We can work in a few countries in the European Union thereafter."

Dilshan says he hoped it wouldn't come to that. "We are positive that the legal system will give us some justice," he said.