Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday slammed the government’s decision to suspend the admission of local students to the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) Medical Faculty, calling it an act of “small-minded thinking” that undermines the principles of equitable education.
In a statement shared on the social media platform X, Premadasa expressed deep concern over the restriction, labelling it a step backwards in a country where only a fraction of students gain entry into state universities.
“I am for free education. I am also for access to education for all. In a country where less than 25% of students gain acceptance into local universities, how can a government justify blocking others from pursuing private education? This is not equity, it’s exclusion, driven by small-minded thinking with no grasp of global realities,” he said.
His remarks come in the wake of a formal complaint submitted on Thursday to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka by civil society activists, and Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, President of the Federation of Medical and Civil Rights Professional Associations. The complaint challenges the recent suspension of local student admissions to KDU’s medical faculty, reportedly following a statement made by State Minister of Defence Anura Jayasekara.
According to the complaint, the decision has caused significant distress among students from ordinary families who have passed their Advanced Level examinations and had hoped to pursue medical education at KDU. Many professionals, who once backed the current government, have voiced disillusionment, warning of the potential loss of nearly a billion dollars in foreign exchange as students are now forced to seek medical education abroad.