Education Ministry yesterday sacked the principal of a leading national girls’ school in Anuradhapura on charges of corruption.
This is the fifth national school principal to have been dismissed from a national school by the Ministry during the year.
Education Ministry Secretary H M Gunasekera told the Daily News that the principal was sacked following corruption investigations carried out by the Ministry.
The principal was fired for levying illegal charges on children’s school admissions.
She was fired for violating Ministry regulations on school admissions, and for poor school management and administration. The situation has adversely affected the education standards of the school over the years, said Provincial Education governing bodies in Anuradhapura.
The Ministry launched investigations into the situation following complaints that were piling up against the principal for over one year, said Ministry sources.
Secretary Gunasekera said they will remove any principal or any education officer who indulge in malpractices such as accepting bribes from children’s parents.
Asked about the situation, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said he would go to any lengths to remove those who indulge in bribery rackets in national schools and their allies.
He said, from one standpoint this is the result of every parent trying to send their children to national schools for education, which gives some corrupt principals to take advantage of them.
Minster Gunawardena also said he is well aware about the complaints which have piled up at the Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruption about the situation.
“However whenever we try to progress with investigations, the parents withdraw their complaints,” he said.
” I earnestly appeal them to come forward and help us identify them to take necessary action,” he added.