Special Provisions Bill to abolish SAITM presented to parliament

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Special Provisions Bill to abolish SAITM and to transfer the students to Sir John Kothalawala University was presented to Parliament, today (June 20). Minister of Higher Education Wijedasa Rajapaksa kicked off the debate on the bill by stating that it applies to students of SAITM who enrolled between the 15th of September 2009 and the 17th of may 2017. He added that once the bill is brought in, SAITM would be legally abolished. Dr. Ramesh Pathirana of the UPFA joined the debate and thanked the Minister of Higher Education for abolishing the private medical college and called on the Minister to follow through on three amendments that had been made to the bill including the enrollment process to the Kothalawala University be done in accordance with the Medical Council. Joining the debate Dayasiri Jayasekara who recently crossed over to the opposition charged that the matter was continuously delayed due to the interventions of the minister of higher education and the Minister of health. Meanwhile, the Medical Faculty Students Activists Committee held a silent demonstration near the entry road to the Parliament, this afternoon (June 20).