Parents to protest today 

By Aisha Nazim- January 8, 2014 

Parents of students, who completed their Grade 5 Scholarship Examinations last year, are planning to protest against the reduced number of intakes to popular schools, in front of the Education Ministry, today.

Parents claim their children have been treated unjustly by the decision to restrict their opportunities to enter popular schools, despite the fact that they had received outstanding results for their performance at the examinations.
They were due to engage in the protest at 9.00 a.m. this morning, after which they will hand over an epistle to Education Minister, Bandula Gunawardena, requesting the minister to increase the number of admissions to popular schools.

"When taking the last five years into consideration, the number of admissions has decreased noticeably. Our demand is not to cut down the admissions in such a harsh manner," Ranjith Dharmapala, a parent said.

"In order to enter any popular school, a student has to score over 180 marks. Only a few get exceptionally good marks and it's a major disappointment when they are not able to get into a school that they have set their minds on," he added.

Meanwhile, Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) General Secretary, Joseph Stalin, echoed Dharmapala's views regarding the injustice to students. He will also participate in the protest today.

CAA seizes 47 tonnes of expired sprats 

   January 8, 2014 

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has nabbed an importer, who tried to sell expired sprats in Hendala.

They have seized 47 tonnes of expired sprats.

The sprats were packed in three containers and were ready to be released to the market at Hendala, Wattala.