About 253 national schools countrywide are functioning without qualified school principals at present and hence, the Education Ministry has taken steps to fill these existing vacancies early, next year, as per a decision of Kurunegala District UNP Parliamentarian and Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. Accordingly, the Education Ministry has already sought the approval of the Educational Commission of the Public Service Commission for this purpose.
Several leading teachers’ unions too had pointed out the necessity of appointing qualified and experienced heads who have principals’ grades to these national schools early to ensure the proper handling of administration of these schools, said Kurunegala Senior Director of Education W. M. Balasooriya speaking at a meeting of deputy principals of government schools held yesterday at the Wariyapola Teachers’ Resources Centre, Kurunegala.
Balasooriya said that certain school principals of popular and leading schools in both Kurunegala and Puttalam districts of the North Western Province (NWP) are reported to have solicited gratifications and undue donations from parents for admitting grade one students to their schools next year.
Proper investigations would be conducted accordingly with regard to those complaints against school heads and such errant school heads would be dismissed from their posts immediately according to the new rules and regulations introduced by the government, as they gravely tarnish the good and respectable image of this noble profession and the Education Ministry, he added.
About 746 deputy school principals participated in this meeting.