MY SAITM STORY
Yes I also have a SAITM story. Sacrificing months of my life, addressing hundreds of thousands of people, postponing each and every plan I had for my life, for this, I also have a SAITM story.
Born in to a middle class family I've seen the struggle of my parents to raise us up. Thanks to the free education, I dared to dream to be a doctor some day despite not having many lakhs to spend on my higher education. On my way through the school I've had many dreams, to be an engineer, a lawyer, a parliamentarian, a physicist, a writer, a wedding planner. Many of these dreams were achievable only because we had this free education system, and therefore I dared to dream.
When I finally realized that I was born to be a healer, I worked hard, hard and harder towards that goal, ending up as one of the best rankers in the country from ALs to enter the medical faculty.
And here I am, still working so hard, training my eyes and ears and moulding my hands, to learn each and every detail of the human body and its downfalls. Going through one of the longest undergraduate courses of all, I watch my friends from school going ahead with their lives, earning a living, getting married, bringing up kids.. Why did I miss my cousin's wedding? Why couldn't I visit my sick aunt? Why wasn't I there at the get together of my school friends? Why didn't I go on a trip on the new year's vacation? Why am I having big dark circles around my eyes? I was studying.. I was having an exam.. I was attending a tutorial.. Yes that is the life I'm spending. For five and a half years, and I do know that it is not getting any better.. So if you think I'm in paradise and having that look on my face because of my ego, no, I'm so tired..
I do not want to postpone my graduation from an hour. Few months ago, we knew when we would graduate. We worked setting our eyes on that day. (Forgetting the dark year of intern that would follow.) Dreaming of a day where we can finally have some time for ourselves.
And then SAITM happened. Despite the hours we dedicated in the past few years to stop this scandal, it came out so strong threatening the entire health system of the country..
It was not us, that had to take action. It was a threat to the people of this country. It was the responsibility of the government to take care of its people and take actions against this fraud putting their lives at stake. But when the government turned a blind eye to this, even supporting this fraud for some extent, we had to take action. I considered it my responsibility as a medical student, to safeguard the health system and the free education system that has been benefiting the people of this country in many different levels.
Here I am, stuck in time, months passing without continuing the process of becoming a doctor, postponing the day of graduation until I don't know when, letting my parents carry the burden of life when I should be the one looking after them..
No I'm not having some time off. I'm working even harder, walking miles under the scorching sun, raising my voice to make aware the public, going from one place to another, spending nights reading and learning the facts about the legal situation, working and working to nationalize SAITM! And it is for no personal gain, it is for this country and its people.. When I say people, it includes the rich and the poor, even the small percentage of people who call me a 'selfish jealous arrogant university student' (with a poor English knowledge too).. When I say people, it includes them all, even Dr. Neville Fernando himself.. I'm doing this for us all!
And whatever you may call me, I will continue to stand up for the rights of the people, for the justice of everyone. When I say 'nationalize SAITM', I'm asking for justice to my fellow students enrolled in SAITM too, the innocent victims of the mega level fraud carried out by this institute.
I'm waiting, for the president and the government to take a step immediately.. I'm waiting, for them to remove this threat to the people of this country.. I'm waiting, for the day I can resume my role as a medical trainee.. I'm waiting...
#mySAITMstory
~ Thisari Athukorala
#Abolish_SAITM
Born in to a middle class family I've seen the struggle of my parents to raise us up. Thanks to the free education, I dared to dream to be a doctor some day despite not having many lakhs to spend on my higher education. On my way through the school I've had many dreams, to be an engineer, a lawyer, a parliamentarian, a physicist, a writer, a wedding planner. Many of these dreams were achievable only because we had this free education system, and therefore I dared to dream.
When I finally realized that I was born to be a healer, I worked hard, hard and harder towards that goal, ending up as one of the best rankers in the country from ALs to enter the medical faculty.
And here I am, still working so hard, training my eyes and ears and moulding my hands, to learn each and every detail of the human body and its downfalls. Going through one of the longest undergraduate courses of all, I watch my friends from school going ahead with their lives, earning a living, getting married, bringing up kids.. Why did I miss my cousin's wedding? Why couldn't I visit my sick aunt? Why wasn't I there at the get together of my school friends? Why didn't I go on a trip on the new year's vacation? Why am I having big dark circles around my eyes? I was studying.. I was having an exam.. I was attending a tutorial.. Yes that is the life I'm spending. For five and a half years, and I do know that it is not getting any better.. So if you think I'm in paradise and having that look on my face because of my ego, no, I'm so tired..
I do not want to postpone my graduation from an hour. Few months ago, we knew when we would graduate. We worked setting our eyes on that day. (Forgetting the dark year of intern that would follow.) Dreaming of a day where we can finally have some time for ourselves.
And then SAITM happened. Despite the hours we dedicated in the past few years to stop this scandal, it came out so strong threatening the entire health system of the country..
It was not us, that had to take action. It was a threat to the people of this country. It was the responsibility of the government to take care of its people and take actions against this fraud putting their lives at stake. But when the government turned a blind eye to this, even supporting this fraud for some extent, we had to take action. I considered it my responsibility as a medical student, to safeguard the health system and the free education system that has been benefiting the people of this country in many different levels.
Here I am, stuck in time, months passing without continuing the process of becoming a doctor, postponing the day of graduation until I don't know when, letting my parents carry the burden of life when I should be the one looking after them..
No I'm not having some time off. I'm working even harder, walking miles under the scorching sun, raising my voice to make aware the public, going from one place to another, spending nights reading and learning the facts about the legal situation, working and working to nationalize SAITM! And it is for no personal gain, it is for this country and its people.. When I say people, it includes the rich and the poor, even the small percentage of people who call me a 'selfish jealous arrogant university student' (with a poor English knowledge too).. When I say people, it includes them all, even Dr. Neville Fernando himself.. I'm doing this for us all!
And whatever you may call me, I will continue to stand up for the rights of the people, for the justice of everyone. When I say 'nationalize SAITM', I'm asking for justice to my fellow students enrolled in SAITM too, the innocent victims of the mega level fraud carried out by this institute.
I'm waiting, for the president and the government to take a step immediately.. I'm waiting, for them to remove this threat to the people of this country.. I'm waiting, for the day I can resume my role as a medical trainee.. I'm waiting...
#mySAITMstory
~ Thisari Athukorala
#Abolish_SAITM
No comments:
Post a Comment