Fundraising project in North Western Province schools raises concerns

A fund raising project for the NorthWestern Provincial Education Development Fund has recommenced. The Ceylon Principals’ Union said the funds will be raised by selling CR and exercise books at concessionary prices to schools within the province.

Former North Western Province Governor Peshala Jayarathna had initiated this programme for the welfare of the school children in the North Western Province.

Accordingly, the former North Western Province Ministry had distributed exercise books to schools to be sold among school children.

Arrangements had been made to distribute packs of exercise books, amounting between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 200,000, among schools during the latter part of the last year.

The Ceylon Principals’ Union said some principals had purchased books out of their own pocket in lieu of selling them among school children.

The Former Ministry officials had taken actions to sell packs of books amounting to Rs. 100,000 within schools under 33 local government authorities.

Ceylon Principals’ Union Secretary Piyasiri Fernando said he had already lodged complaints to the North Western Province Governor, North Western Province Chief Secretary, North Western Province Education Secretary and the Internal Audit division to probe into the process of printing, distributing and selling of these exercise books.

He said neither an audit nor an investigation had been conducted so far, but the North Western Province Chief Ministry had re-implemented the programme.

The Ceylon Principals’ Association said the principals of some schools had refused to accept the books.