A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Friday, July 7, 2017
On Medical Education In Sri Lanka
The admission criteria for medical education should be at least 2B and
C. At present UGC minimum qualification adopted in 2011 for medicine 2C
S. Before 2011 it was 3S.
Implement a merit based admission criteria
for state universities (75% merit, 25% marginalised district quota
system) or 100% merit. At present 40% merit, 55% district quota, 5%
marginalized districts (since 1970, prior to 1970 admission to
universities 100% merit)1.
For the past 45 years this non merit base admission had caused lead to
the problem we face today. This happened nearly 30 years ago and many
young lives were lost. Have we learned lessons from the history?
Addition
to A/L results an aptitude test, plus added marks for exceptional
talents in sports or arts or music or innovation skills should be
considered. These aptitude tests should test the Emotional quotient (EQ)
and Spiritual quotient (SQ). EQ and SQ are higher order thinking than
intelligent quotient (IQ)2.
An
independent accreditation council to accredit all universities (public
and private) should be established. Every 2 -3 years, compulsory
accreditation to be done and standards checked. All state and private
higher education (HE) institutions should be accredited and standards
maintained. At present many private HE institutes and some state HE
institutions do not obtain accreditation from a national or an
international accreditation council.
If
a non-state medical school is to be established it should be a
non-profit making trust. Private- public partnership for non state
medical schools with hospitals similar to Sri Jayewardenepura Teaching
Hospital (SJTH) will be a feasible option. This will open the door for a
majority of Sri Lankan citizens with an affordable health care. Since
the inception of SJTH more than 30 years ago there had been no other
private-public partnered hospital in the country.
Before
establishing a non-state medical school, the medical ordinance should
be amended to include the criteria for recognition by SLMC and expected
standards of a non-state medical school. This should be similar to any
state medical faculty.
National policy for education should be formulated for the primary, secondary and tertiary education. This should have been done 25 years ago soon after 87-89 students unrest.
Problems I see in Sri Lankan medical education at present:
*
Many students with higher marks from Colombo, Kandy and Gampaha unable
to obtain medicine due to district quota. Also from above districts
dental, Vetenary science Z score is higher than some district’s medical
entry cut off.
*
Having more than 1000 Foreign qualified graduates unable to pass ERPM. I
see two main issues for the failure rate to be so high when the exams
and the examiners are in par with Final MBBS.
a) Minimum entry criteria of 2Cs S (2011) before that 3 S given by UGC.
b) Sub-standard overseas universities approved by SLMC without supervision.
*
Also within state universities there are many students failing to
qualify at exams, who are wasting years in the university. Maximum
number of attempts are given at an exam, failing which a student is
asked to leave the study course. The facts on failures can be easily
obtained from each faculty. The reasons for failure of medical students
are mostly the admission criteria, in few cases the language barrier and
social or health issues.