Govt to final decision on SAITM next week

The government is to take a final decision on the issue of  South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) by next week, President Maithripala Sirisena said.

Speaking at Annual Convocation of the Aquinas University College yesterday, President said that although the Government had taken many steps to resolve the SAITM issue during the past period, various ideas were presented regarding those solutions. 

However, President Sirisena said that he thought that the final decision, which will be announced by the Government next week, will be sufficient for many people who were against the  SAITM including the students protesting against the medical institution.

The President said that the responsibilities of creating intellectuals to meet the needs of the innovation economy will be lying with the State Universities as well as with the private sector.He also said that all  these institutions should safeguard the quality and standards of the education.

This was the 8th graduation of the Aquinas University College, where graduates were awarded with degrees of Bachelor of Science in Psychology & Counselling (B.Sc.), Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies (BA).The President awarded degrees to 15 students, marking this event.

The Chancellor of the Aquinas University College, Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Rectors including the Vice Chancellor Rev. Dr. Susith Silva, Minister John Amarathunga,Mr. Joseph Michael Perera and others participated on this occasion.