Voucher system...

He said the Ministry had been hiring stores at high rentals, to stock material under the old system, apart from the costs incurred for transport and distribution.

Minister Kariyawasam referring to the protests said, he believed only ‘vested interests’ were protesting, and may be ‘those who benefited from the previous system’, while the new system is running without problems.

“There is no commission here, while it is more transparent and accountable, with money saved. We hope to increase the value of the voucher in time to come. We are politicians and are bound to look to the interest of the public," he said.

He said there were problems with the earlier tender system.

Q: Some parents have not gone to collect the vouchers as it was mandatory they should come to collect the vouchers, which led to wastage within the system ?

A: It is not true. In the case of infants in the lower classes, parents had to come on the last day of the term. We gave instructions to issue vouchers to the parents on this day. It was experimented at once and it took some time for the change and now it has settled.

He denied allegation that the allocation of material was higher for Muslim students.

“I think this is a very unreasonable allegation. Even under the previous regime, the material allocation had been high to Muslim students, and we have comparatively increased the value of the voucher to them. It is not something new. More material was required for the girls' hijab. We need not go for nationalism on these kind of issues. Why can't they stand for what is true? We do not fear to do what is right. We know the irregularities under the previous system. There was complete bureaucracy," he said.

He said the allegation that the value of the voucher was insufficient to purchase the required material was also not correct.

“We have called for prices from several textile traders and have decided on the system. At times, there can be a saving as well. Some traders have offered concessions and discounts to schoolchildren. Now there is competition among the traders to import the material, so the price comes down. Even quality material can be assured at times," he said.

"in the earlier system, parents had to tailor the uniforms, while the present system affords them the option to purchase readymade kits of better quality, saving time," he said.