PODUJANA COLLEGE Angulana on verge of closure

The principal posted at the school is very inefficient The school was equipped with a ground, pavilion and several three storey buildings The school has every facility that is needed for a thriving education but they conduct just four classes

An inefficient principal added to the decreasing number of students attendance was pushing the Podujana College in Angulana to closure, Moratuwa Municipal Councillor Ms. Nalini Fernando said. Speaking at the December council meeting, the Councillor explained that the school fully equipped with facilities did not have a high admission rate. “The principal posted at the school is very inefficient. He comes to the school once or twice a week. His lack of interest in the school has led to the number of students in the school dropping drastically. The school has every facility that is needed for a thriving education but they conduct just four classes,” she said.

The school was equipped with a ground, pavilion and several three storey buildings. However, many of these facilities are in dire need of repair as they have been neglected.

When the Daily Mirror visited the school, the journalist witnessed that the pavilion no longer had a roof, the ground was overgrown with weeds, washrooms were on the verge of being abandoned and robbers had broken in to many of the buildings with equipment and furniture belonging to the school missing.

The journalist also witnessed a banner congratulating top scorers for the Grade 5 Scholarship Exam from the school.

“A number of parents have complained about the state of the school. I propose to inform the Western Provincial Council about the issue and ensure necessary measures are taken to protect one of the few schools in the area blessed with facilities,” Fernando said.

The Councillor went on to say that the literacy rate among children in the area had increased with evidence pointing towards an increase in drug abuse among children.

“The closure of a school paves the way for other issues such as drugs. I believe it is our duty to intervene in the matter,” she concluded.

Attempts to contact the principal of the school were unsuccessful.

The closure of a school paves the way for other issues such as drugs