Over to you Traffic Police

The present free-flow of traffic appeals it seems only to speed fiends! Vast tracks of road lane are criss-crossed at high speed, from access roads on Duplication Road. The same applies to the former Independence Avenue with Marcus Fernando Mawatha and Alexandra Place converging, only to divide again at the Cinnamon Gardens round-about.

Pedestrians say their prayers and hope that with luck, they can cross the wide span of the road with speeding cars bent on pushing them off back to the pavement!

Don’t the pedestrians have to go to school, or to work too?

Traffic lights are needed at pedestrian crossings, please!

Those who are driving, just get off your cars and try to cross these wide expanse by foot. You’ll understand then.

RUPA FERNANDO
Colombo 4

Thank you Moratuwa MC

Mr. Mayor thank you very much for taking prompt action regarding the defective lamp post. The problem has been solved overnight. You are an example to others.

I wish to thank Mr. Kingsley too for his way of expediting matters and to the staff of Electrical Section of Moratuwa Municipality.

DEEPAL HEWAVISENTHI
Moratuwa

Over to you Education Minister

We boast Sri Lanka provides free education and now from very recently Government schools charges money for school admission. Although the Government says it is an offence to charge any money during admission of children to schools but parents have to pay large sums of money to get the children admitted to leading schools whether Government or private.

This extortion is effected through the School Development Society(SDS) and through private brokers of the principals or middle men.

It is not only for admission of children to Grade 1, but for admission to other classes too an amount has to be pocket out to get a child admitted to schools not only in Colombo but in the outstations also.

Very recently it was reported in the newspapers that a principal of a school had demanded Rs. 50.000 and accepted Rs. 25.000 to admit a child to Grade 6 in a leading girls’ school in the suburb and the parent had complaint to the Bribery Commission.

Most parents have to pay illegal gratifications to the principals to admit their children not only to leading schools but also to schools in the provinces and villages. It is not only to Grade 1 but even when a child is admitted to Advanced Level classes they have to pay.

The students of the same school who pursue higher studies after passing the Ordinary Level examination, has to pay on admission to Advanced Level classes amounts ranging from Rs. 2000 to 10, 15 thousands calculated by the principal of such schools, being two years security fees, two years facilities fees, two years salary for IT teachers as IT is taught for Advanced Level students as a compulsory and for Science Day, English Day etc. to enhance the figure. Dosen’t the Education Department provide IT teachers to these schools?

Some principals don’t accept cash directly from parents instead choose a shop and request to purchase certain items and pay the cash and hand over the bill for collection.

This I came to know through a parent who went to admit his child to a leading Muslim girls’ school in Colombo was asked to pay for a furniture item and hand over the bill to the principal personally. This was about 3-4 years ago.

The Government should take stern action against heads of schools who charge large sums of money from parents for admission to schools. The Government should abolish the SDS as it is through the SDS the principals do this wrongful act.

In some other matters too the heads of schools put the blame on to the SDS. When the parents ask why and how these unauthorised illegal actions are done, they say it is SDS’s decision. Principals could do that as it is the responsibility of the principals. Who are SDS?

All decisions according to the Government rules and regulations have to be taken by the principal and not by the SDS.

SDS is to help the principal to develop the school and not to harass the students and parents. Government should if necessary dissolve all SDS’s in the schools and allow the principal to develop the school with the Cooperation of the teachers and seek the assistance of parents and well-wishers.

A. Y. L.U. MARIKKAR
Colombo 12