Archives

Anti-corruption drive by Education Ministry

by Manjula Fernando

The Education Ministry, in a bid to minimise corruption, officials said yesterday, has cancelled all Appeals Boards for new admissions to government schools for the year 2003.

A Ministry spokesman said new children applying for new admissions to Year One would have to strictly adhere to the criteria laid down in the admissions circular, and once rejected would not be given a second chance, a directive from Minister Karunasena Kodituwakku says.

The appeals board comprising Education Ministry or the Provincial education representatives, a past pupil and the principal were required to review the rejected applications. This gave parents a second chance to present their case and prove their child's eligibility. But certain principals and appeal board officers were reported to have entertained bribes from desperate parents to get their children admitted.

The Minister has said that if children fulfil basic requirements to be eligible for admission in the first application, a review will not be necessary. It will only make way for corruption, he has stated. The Ministry will create an Ombudsman to deal with the grievances of the parents should they arise, the officials added.

The Cabinet paper seeking approval for this appointment has already been submitted, the spokesman said.

The Minister has requested parents not to get carried away by impressive names of popular schools in the cities since it had been the 'ordinary' schools in the suburbs which have produced high flyers at exams.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager