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| Thursday, 20 November 2003 |
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Admission to Grade I on fabricated documents Letter on the above (Nov. 12), deals with school children to Grade I by the submission of fabricated documents. This fraudulent procedure, as far as I remember, has been going on since 1960, when distance from home to school was considered as the criterion to qualify for admission to a particular school. However, with all restrictions imposed by the Education Department, there were children attending Colombo schools, all the way from Mount Lavinia and even beyond. It means that children from distant homes have found admission to such schools. Not only that, school buses aided and abetted in the act. To achieve this end, parents begin to prepare fabricated documents months ahead of the admission date, sometimes spending lavishly in procuring forged documents through men who have the expertise at the job. Sometimes, bribes are offered involving large sums of money, despite the Bribery Act. The school principals as well as the Education Ministry officials are aware what goes on, but they remain unconcerned as the least line of resistance. The Education Department has done away with the Appeal Boards, but has substituted Objection Boards, giving school principals the authority over admissions. What is the guarantee that they would be immune to the vice? Two ways are open to clamp down the submission of fabricated documents. One is to get all documents certified by the issuing authority as genuine, and counter-signed by the Grama Niladari as correct. The other is for parents to declare affidavits to the accuracy and genuinity of documents and information contained in the application for admission to Grade I. (Any false declaration is punishable with imprisonment and nothing less). People who can afford to spill money achieve their aim, but what about those poor, and living close to such schools? ARYADASA RATNASINGHE, Mattegoda Educate Buddhist clergy only at Pirivenas In the mid-half of the last century, the tide religious and national sentiments were at peak level; the politicians faithfully displayed their response by upgrading the world renown Pirivenas to the status of National Universities and thus ensured the provision of all facilities for the smooth education of the Buddhist clergy. This was an act done in good faith and never for a moment strayed in their thinking that are long there would be a disarray. It is a pity that the clergy has violated the sanctity of these seats of learning. They have also disregarded the disciplinary rules of the Sasana. Since we do not like the repetition of the incidences that prevailed in these universities, the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and the Department of Buddha Sasana should come out their cocoon without showing a 'symbolic significance as HL stated in one of his recent articles, and recommend to the UNF Government that all future candidates selected by the UGC for admission to National Universities be transferred to Vidyalankara and Vidyodaya Pirivenas to pursue a system of education in consistent with the Buddhist philosophy enunciated at the monasteries of the Buddha. It is imperative that these two prestigious Pirivenas should be provided with all modern methodology for quicker acquisition of knowledge in keeping with their desires in a cloistered life at the Pirivena where no laystudent would not persuade them to stray into political battles. Pandit, Maha-Pandit and Agga Maha Pandit Honours should be conferred on them after a successful courses of studies at the Pirivenas. These Honours should of higher orientation than those conferred by National Universities. The Ministry should take all relevant action to raise the level of Daham Pasala (Sunday temple school) by appointing Buddhist clergy and retired teachers to teach Pali, Sanskrit, Buddhist Philosophy, Tamil and other eastern languages for the young children, so as to prevent the children from attending tuition classes on Sundays. These schools are neglected by the incumbent high priests of temples. The Department of Buddha Sasana should supervise the schools often and pay an allowance for teachers. L. G. ANDERSON, Galle I had occasion to read a couple of appreciations of the late S.P.B. Ratnayake, retired General Manager of People's Bank. I got acquainted with him in the 70s, but more closely later. I wish to pay my personal tributes to this kind hearted and graceful gentleman. The reason is not far to seek. During the height of the 1983 incidents, the day it flared up, I went to office as usual. Gory scenes were enacted at the very entrance to the bank. I was watching with interest from the Headquarters Branch. Suddenly, Ms. Fonseka tapped me on the shoulder and said "are you crazy get back to your office". At the office M/s Sugathadasa and Hettiarachi accosted me and took me to the GM's room. GM asked them to leave me behind and told me "Do not leave my office". Around 12 noon or so, when curfew was to be declared he called his office aids and told them to arrange for me to stay in his office providing me with the necessities and to arrange for meals at the canteen. I was occupying his room till the curfew was lifted three or four days later. I was able to contact my family in Jaffna and assure them of my safety. He gave me protection at that critical time. When I faced the interview for the Grade 1 promotion, the first question he asked me was "How are you going to motivate the staff in your region?" The tenor of that question will be understood and appreciated by those in the banking circles. Events turned out to be otherwise due more to political manoeuvring contrary to his confirmed desire and intention. His choice was overruled by a compulsive move. I have alluded to the above two instances which show his compassion and the ability and desire to recognise merit.Though I went and thanked him at home after his retirement, he was bashful enough to smile only and the person who accompanied me was shocked to hear of my revelations. We should have more men of his calibre around us who evince the human touch. My intention is not to hurt anybody but to focus on the innate goodness of a person who is no more. R. SUNTHARALINGAM, Urumpirai Tamils demand a fair and honourable place as before I am a retired PWD engineer, travelled and stayed in many parts of Sri Lanka. In the good old days wherever I put up was given a warm welcome and treatment by the Sinhalese, and was affectionately called as Japana mahathaya. But, now the same old innocent people are looking at me in a suspicious way. Why? Who poisoned and corrupted their innocent sense of thought? The gulf has widened between the Tamils and Sinhalese, by the noxious propaganda by the vicious politicians,who do not have any constructive policies. The controversial talking point at the moment is LTTE's proposal for an interim administration.It is said that it is not in accordance with our constitution. It is widely accepted by all sections of the Tamils, past experiences should have prompted the LTTE to draft these proposals for the safety and dignity of the Tamils. When the Tamils were disgraced, humiliated and discriminated for the past 50 years in the following:- (a) Sinhala only act., (b) Standardisation and District basis for the admission to the universities (c) Reducing the Tamils in Government service to less than 2 per cent (d) Using the PTA to arbitrarily harass and humiliate the Tamils especially in the North and East by the security forces. (e) Depriving development in the north and east, using Government revenue only in Sinhala areas. (f) Police registration for Tamils only. (g) Burning the world famous Jaffna library by people in power. (h) Governments hand in the holocaust of 1983. Are the above deeds in accordance with our countries constitution? If it is not, then why neither the national papers nor the academics and Sinhala leaders point out that these are against our constitution. If it is in accordance with our constitution, it must be regarded as a disgraceful constitution discriminating against a section of its own people. From 1957, the harassment of Tamils is on the rise and relatively, the demands of the Tamils too is going on very extreme terms. "Every action will definitely have an equal and opposite reaction". The demands of the Tamils is certainly not against the Sinhalese, but to ensure an honourable and safe co-existence of the Tamils with the Sinhalese in one country. LTTE giving up its separate country demand has won the support of the balanced minded Tamils and Sinhalese and also the international community. THAVE, Colombo 8 The above deadly insects are wreaking havoc in coconut plantations in some parts of Puttalam. The worst affected are the small-holders who already grapple with the nagging problems of mites, mounting cost of maintenance, frequent fluctuations of prices (most of the time adverse), lack of rain-fall or drought and so on. Though black beetle is said to be less harmful than the red weevil, the former makes coconut palms vulnerable to the fatal attacks by the latter. The redweevil enters the holes made in any part of the coconut tree by the blackbeetle. Then it conceals itself and lays hundreds of eggs that hatch inside. The larvae eat into the pith and it so happens that the damages cannot be detected until the affected tree just drops dead. Rescue operations fail in most cases. To see healthy young trees (two or three years old) suddenly wilting or dying is an unbearable tragedy, especially to a smallholder who spends a lot of money and time "to bring up his coconut child". The death of a single young coconut palm means the loss of several thousands of rupees. We often hear about attractive coconut development programmes and lengthy articles are written on the merits and benefits of owning a coconut plantation. Unless this menace is eradicated or effectively controlled, coconut plantations cannot survive. It can be the ruination of coconut cultivation. Small-holders cannot bear such an unfortunate disaster. Whilst seeking advice from knowledgeable and experienced people, we appeal to the various boards and institutes concerned with coconut cultivation to rescue us by coming up with an effective remedy to solve this serious problem. The local officials seem to be cluless and helpless. N. M. L. M. HALEEL, Puttalam |
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