Action TV: GMOA, privileges and the lives of innocent patients
A group of government doctors staged an all night sit-in at the Ministry of Education, having arrived there on the public day on Wednesday, September 14, to resolve the issue of enrolling their children to enter Grade 1 at public schools.
However, their all-night sit in created tense situations at the Ministry and the doctors had to leave the premises on the morning of Thursday, September 15, following an order from the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court.
Failed sit-in turns to a token strike…
Doctors at public hospitals in the Kurunegala, Kandy and Matara Districts staged a four-hour token strike from 8 a.m. Thursday, in solidarity with the group of doctors.
July 27: – At a demonstration held in front of Isurupaya on July 27, the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) had signaled that patient’s lives could be placed at risk if their children were not enrolled at so called “popular schools”.
There was no indication that the Ministry of Education responded to this protest in any way.
July 28:The Ministry issued a statement, noting that the Minister had instructed the Education Secretary on July 26 to enroll these children for the third school term.
According to the statement, the Minister had reached this decision following a conversation with a group of doctors in the corridor at the Ministry of Education.
Privileges expected by GMOA
As per the circular governing the enrollment of children to public schools, on the basis of transfers in the public service and overseas training, all children have been enrolled at one public school or another.
Since these doctors are also public officials, their children too should be enrolled at public schools on the basis of transfers or overseas training.
However at a media briefing convened on Thursday, it was revealed that what the GMOA expects is in fact a privilege that they had been enjoying for some time…
According to Dr. Nalinda Herath (Assistant Secretary – GMOA), In 2005 the education minister at the time Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge had issued an extraordinary gazette notice. Dr. Herath added that a cabinet paper as well, was put forward to implement a special programme for the children of government doctors to be enrolled at national schools.
“Every government and every education minister thus far, has carried out this task and doctors children across the island were enrolled to schools in this way”, said Dr. Nalinda Herath, Assistant Secretary – GMOA
The fight to violate the law
If, according to Dr. Nalinda Herath, successive governments have followed the cabinet paper submitted in 2005 in enrolling government doctors children to schools, even after 2007, then it certainly amounts to a grave mistake.
Why? because since 2007- enrollments have to be undertaken as per a circular drafted in line with the guidelines laid spelled out in a Supreme Court order. Since this circular is the law that is in effect, there is no question about the fact that it must be followed.
Given the fact that this group is not fighting for the circular to be amended but rather for it – and the law to be violated, their actions cannot be considered to be professional by any measure.
While education authorities and officials may be dirtying their hands by acquiescing to the government doctors requests, the following statement by the Minister is justified, given the norm that no profession should be considered second to another and the fact that the constitution, the supreme law of the land, states in no uncertain terms that all citizens should be treated equally.
“Several doctors in the Medical Officers Association want their children to be enrolled only in the best of the major schools. So when doctors make such a request, the thousands of teachers in the island could come here tomorrow and request that their children too be enrolled at these schools only. Thousands of principals could come here with the same request the next day. If we continue this way we will only be able to enroll doctors children at these major schools. The children of laborers and innocent farmers in the villagers are also children and they too must be given an opportunity”, said Minister of Education, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam,
Will the competent authorities commit themselves to drafting a better system to enroll children at schools, rather than continue to violate the prevailing circular?
We will remain vigilant…
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