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| Thursday, 25 September 2003 |
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Over 40 schools submit documents for verification by Manjula Fernando Over 40 popular national schools have already submitted admission documents for new Grade 1 students on their temporary lists to the Education Ministry to be referred to the Criminal Investigation Department for verification. Action was taken this year by the Ministry to call for all admission documents from a selected number of popular schools, to be referred to them for verification, in a bid to curb the booming racket on grade one admissions. It is alleged even some of the Grama Niladaris are involved in this fraud where parents can find a nearby address, get their names inserted in the voters list and new birth certificates for the child, etc. with a price attached to it, to facilitate their child's admission to a popular school. The parents in their obsessive yearning to get their children into a popular school are said to be spending nearly or sometimes over Rs.50,000 to forge their way through.A Ministry spokesman said they have enlisted over 50 national schools from the Gampaha, Colombo, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Galle, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy districts to call for admission documents for verification. The decision to seek the assistance of the CID was taken by Education Minister Dr.Karunasena Kodituwakku on a suggestion by the Commissioner of Appeals considering the large number of complaints received on wrong admissions. The Commissioner has observed that it was unethical to expel a child who has already been admitted to a school. Hence, he has suggested the authenticity of the certificates submitted by parents should be tested before finalising admissions. However, the ministry will take legal action against the parents for forgery concerning the last years's 'wrong' admissions. According to sources the Appeals Commissioner has received over 700 complaints with regard to Grade one admissions last year out of which 400 were investigated and 31 cases of wrong-doing were established. "The CID is expected to carry out a double check on their proof of residence," a spokesman for the Education Ministry said. There are about 50 popular schools in the country, mainly in Colombo, Galle, Kandy and Kurunegala districts. According to the Education Ministry the highest competition is for the Colombo district schools, followed by several schools in the Kandy district including Mahamaya Girls school and Dharmaraja College. The Education Ministry deadline to display the final admission list is October 20. The temporary list will be displayed on the school notice board by September 25. The final date to submit a protest to a school principal for non-admission is September 30. The Ministry has planned to commence Grade one classes by the third week of January. |
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