SLHRC INQUIRY ON G-5 SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS
The Education Ministry was yesterday ordered to submit a report on the details of admissions to Grades one to six at 36 popular schools in the country.
This order was given by the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC) when it inquired into a complaint made by the Teachers and Parents’ collective that students who had obtained high scores at the Grade-5 scholarship examination had been deprived of the opportunity to enter popular schools.
SLHRC Commissioner Prathiba Mahanamahewa told Daily Mirror that the admission details were called for so that the SLHRC could make recommendations on the complaint that irregularities and injustices had occurred when selecting students for admission.
in Grade-6 admissions with regard to some of the highscorers at scholarship examination.
Several Education Ministry officials, including Schools Affairs Division Director K. M. Wijetunga and the Principals of Rahula Vidyalaya in Matara and Ananda College in Colombo attended the SLHRC inquiry. “The concerned parents and teachers pointed out that although certain students
The same trend has prevailed in most popular schools including D.S. Senanayake, Matara Rahula and Nalanda College
had performed well and obtained the required marks at the scholarship examination to enter popular schools, they had been turned away due to the lack of vacancies. The Education Ministry officials who attended the inquiry informed us that a solution would be provided after discussions with the Ministry Secretary and we hope to make our recommendations after the requested report is presented to us,” Dr. Mahanamahewa said. At the inquiry, the Matara Rahula Vidyalaya Principal undertook to admit 90 more students who have performed well at the scholarship examination to the Grade-6.
Meanwhile, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU), which is made up of a parents’ and teachers’ collective in its complaint said, “We pointed out very clearly that the Government and the Education Ministry officials have engaged in a systematic plan to decrease the number of students admitted to popular schools from the scholarship examination
Several Education Ministry officials, including Schools Affairs Division Director K. M. Wijetunga and the Principals of Rahula Vidyalaya in Matara and Ananda College in Colombo attended the SLHRC inquiry
each year.”
Citing an example, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the number of students admitted through the scholarship examination to Grade-6 at Ananda College has systematically dwindled from 249 in 2011 to 180 students in 2012 and to 167 last year.
“The same trend has prevailed in most popular schools including D.S. Senanayake, Matara Rahula and Nalanda College,” he said and added that students should not be deprived of the opportunity to a better education because of the fault of Education Ministry officials.
Mr. Stalin said all stakeholders hoped that the SLHRC would make an early recommendation to undo the injustice to the students.