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Ministry yet to rescind Gazette notification, despite Presidential order
View(s):Despite a Presidential order, the Higher Education Ministry is yet to rescind the gazette notification amending university regulation under Universities Act, making it optional for institutions awarding degrees such as Medicine, Engineering and Architecture, to obtain compliance certification from the relevant professional bodies.
The Sri Lanka Medical Council, which strongly protested against the amendment, is planning to discuss the matter and decide on a course of action at its committee meeting scheduled for next week while the Institution of Engineers President, Shavinath Fernando, also insisted on the withdrawal of the notification.
“We thank the President for his timely intervention in the matter, but we request him to ensure that proper consultation is done when changes to regulations affecting the standards of higher education in professional fields such as Medical, Engineering and Architecture are made,” he said.
The certification from professional bodies, defined as ‘associations or an institution established or incorporated by Act of Parliament, comprising persons with knowledge and qualifications’ in the relevant profession or discipline of study, was earlier a mandatory qualification. The institutions were required to submit this certification to the Specified Authority, which is the Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education. -CD