School principals have been instructed not to collect money or donations from students and parents violating the circulars issued by the Education Ministry under any circumstances.
Undue collection of money by the school authorities is a punishable offence according to the law.
The Education Ministry in its the circular No. 2015/ 5 prohibits the collection of money from parents and students by school heads. If these circulars are disregarded by the educational authorities, they are liable to face disciplinary action and deprivation of their service rights, Education Ministry Secretary Nihal Ranasinghe told the Sunday Observer.
He said parents are now undergoing many hardships on their children’s studies due to the economic crisis and school heads need to consider that fact seriously when they collect money for teacher felicitation ceremonies, Children’s Day celebrations or other events of less importance.
He was commenting on an incident in Hatton, Kotagala where a female student was attacked by the principal with a coir broom for not giving a Rs. 300 donation for the felicitation ceremony of the school to mark Teachers’ Day .
“Any parent can refrain from paying funds and facilities fees to the schools by presenting a certificate from the Grama Niladhari and it is still valid in Government schools. However, if school heads charge undue fees or ask for donations, the parents have the right to complain against such injustice to the Zonal Directors of Education without delay and legal action would be taken against such errant school authorities,” he said. “We are legally bound to protect the rights of students of Government schools and their parents,” he added.