Act firmly against instigators

THOSE valuing righteousness and civic consciousness would warmly applaud President Kumaratunga's decision to go strongly ahead with firm punitive action against errant public school Principals. She took this position against a backdrop of unrest in two well-known public schools - Ananda College, Colombo and Kingswood College, Kandy - over the interdiction of their Principals by the State authorities over allegations of malpractices in Year 1 admissions.

A report in a weekend newspaper quoted top sources in the Presidential Investigation Unit, probing irregularities in Year 1 admissions as saying that 50 per cent of admissions to national schools had been based on fraudulent documents and that some school Principals are among those who sold forged documents to parents and elders seeking admission for their wards. PIU chief M. Wickremasinghe was quoted saying that one school Principal allegedly offered a set of such forged documents at Rs. 20,000 to parents.

If this is the case, the governmental authorities have no choice but to crack down heavily on school Principals and other officials who connive in school admission rackets, which are steadily eroding the system of Free Education in this country which has thus far benefited millions. We are glad to note that President Kumaratunga, as a Head of State and Government with a special place in her heart for education, is using all the legitimate means to stem the rot in school admissions.

Unfortunately, as is usual in circumstances of this kind, parasitic elements seem to be feeding off the current situation relating to the interdiction of school Principals. For instance, a dangerous and inflammatory religious twist is being given to the interdiction of at least one of these Principals. This amounts to playing with a powder keg. We urge those vested interests which are intent on bringing a religious dimension to these troubles, to refrain from doing so, in view of the disharmony and discord it could trigger in the country. Would they be happy to see the flames of religious discord enveloping the country?

Apparently, some students and parents have fallen for the disinformation dished out by these bankrupt elements. Some opposition politicians were also cited as fuelling these flames of strife. We call on all of them to think long and deep on the consequences of their actions. Are they prepared to sacrifice anything for power? Wouldn't even the thought that we would have on our hands religious strife in addition to ethnic discord, prevent them from exploiting current divisions and problems in the educational sector?

Parents, elders and students need to show vigilance and discretion in these conditions. The truth is that they are being made pawns in a selfish power game. These problems have nothing to do with the rights of any party. They are geared to deepening current divisions.

The Government, on the other hand, has no choice but to act firmly to root out corrupt elements from the education sphere. It should also track to their source and weed out those elements which are seeking to fan the flames of religious strife in the country.