A significant dispute has erupted regarding the future of the dental faculty at Sri Jayawardenepura University, with a prominent association strongly opposing attempts to utilize the National Dental Teaching Hospital and the Maharagama Oral Health Institute for student training.
The association emphasizes that these institutions, under the Ministry of Health, are designed to provide free healthcare services to the public and are entirely unsuitable for the clinical training of dental students. They express strong opposition to any moves that would curtail free healthcare services to accommodate clinical training.
In a clear statement outlining their position, the association presents two definitive demands:
Option 1: Establish a Fully Independent Faculty
The association insists that the Ministry of Higher Education must allocate all necessary facilities, dental equipment, dental surgical chairs, and related apparatus to maintain the Sri Jayawardenepura University Dental Faculty as a completely independent entity.
Option 2: Closure of the Faculty and Student Transfer
If independent funding for another dental faculty is not feasible, the association proposes that a responsible economic and scientific decision would be to close the faculty. In this scenario, all students should be transferred to the Faculty of Dental Sciences at the University of Peradeniya to ensure the continuity of their education without disruption.
The association urges His Excellency the President and the current government to make a timely and appropriate decision on this critical issue. They stress the need for a scientific, cost-effective, and successful solution that serves the best interests of all Sri Lankan citizens.
