Parents and governor at loggerheads over Sunday school opening

A group of parents of Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda, yesterday protested against newly appointed Western Province Governor Azath Sally, who they charged had forcibly opened the private Sunday school in the school premises on Sunday.

A school official told Daily Mirror that the principal had no issue with the Sunday school being inside the school premises, as long as it came under the principal’s purview.

“Since the Sunday school is maintained by a businessman at his discretion, several properties of the school should be considered misappropriated,” the official said. Meanwhile, Mr. Sally told Daily Mirror that he had no intention of forcibly entering and sabotaging the occasion. “I was informed that the Sunday school students and two prelates were outside the school and were being prevented from entering. So I went to the location to see what had happened,” he said.

“When I contacted the school administration, they said they had discussed the matter with the Education Ministry. They said the ministry had not sent any letters restraining the students from entering the Sunday school,” he added. He said in this backdrop he had felt there was no point inconveniencing the prelates and students.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry said since Anula Vidyalaya came under the Western Province Education Ministry, the Governor had no powers to interfere in its matters.