Ranil’s previous attempts at privatising medical education were disastrous – GMOA

By Rathindra Kuruwita

President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s past attempts to privatise medical education led to disastrous consequences, spokesperson for the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe said, commenting on the fee-paying medical degree programmes at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.

KDU will offer a paid medical degree programme to students who qualify through the Z score and other qualifications, the government has announced recently.

“The President, as the Defence Minister, has taken this decision, on his own. He can’t do that. He has tried to privatize medical education in the past with disastrous consequences,” he said.

Dr. Wijesinghe said that the government’s decision to enrol local students, based on AL results, and other qualifications, was questionable.

“What are these ‘other qualifications’?” he asked.

The GMOA spokesperson said the expansion of higher education in general has to be done after a thorough study. The GMOA is of the view that until a thorough study is conducted, the enrolments have to be suspended. We will officially inform the government of this decision and take further action, based on the government response,” he said.