No student will face injustice at Gampaha Wickramarachchi Uni – PM

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the government will take necessary measures to provide solutions without causing any injustice to the student of Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while responding to a question raised by Member of Parliament Ramanathan Archchuna yesterday (09) in Parliament, Prime Minister’s Media Division stated.

The Prime Minister further stated:

“The committee appointed for the purpose of investigating the issues relating to Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine has submitted recommendations under two main solutions.

The first recommendation is to continue the existing courses of the university by affiliating them with other suitable universities or assigning students to similar courses available in other universities. The second recommendation is to maintain the university as it is, while providing the necessary resources and facilities to conduct the existing courses in a formal and qualitative manner.

Discussions are being held with the relevant parties to select the most appropriate recommendation from the two, and this will take some time.

It is the government’s expectation to provide solutions without causing injustice to any student. Therefore, steps will be taken to provide solutions expeditiously before the completion of the degree program of the first batch.

The committee has decided not to change the specializations of the existing course whichever recommendation is implemented from the above. If a certain course is conducted only in this university in Sri Lanka, discussions will be held with the relevant parties to provide more suitable specifications.

Respective consultations were held among the stakeholder ro appropriately revise the curricula of the BSc (Hons) in Indigenous Medicinal Resources and BHSc (Hons) in Indigenous Pharmaceutical Technology degree programs offered under the Faculty of Indigenous Health Sciences and Technology. The committee has also instructed that similar consultations be conducted for the other programs.

Measures are being taken to identify employers to ensure job opportunities related to the degree programs. For problematic programs without direct job opportunities, curricular revisions will be made or students will be assigned to programs that can ensure employment opportunities.

Currently the university is working to resolve the issue related to the inadequate infrastructure. Accordingly, the faculty currently located in Nugegoda will be relocated to a spacious building near the main university in Gampaha, while some departments of the Faculty of Indigenous Health Sciences & Technology will be shifted to another nearby location.

Instructions have been given to the University Grants Commission to temporarily suspend new admissions for the Faculty of Indigenous Health Sciences & Technology, the Faculty of Indigenous Social Sciences and Management, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies.”

The Prime Minister further stated that investigations are being conducted into the irregularities committed in the recruitment process of academic staff, and legal action will be taken in this regards, the statement added.