Why Former Royal Principal Is Not Interdicted?

By Ranga Kalansooriya –January 22, 2016

Dr Ranga Kalansooriya

“Even an average public servant receives his or her normal transfer order in every five years. How come a principal of a school remains for consecutive 13 years in the same work place?”

This is an obvious question that would come to one’s mind when analyzing the recent interesting story about three high profile principals of leading schools in the country who came into the lime light last week. This above specific question refers to the former Principal of the most prestigious Royal College in particular, among many other issues.

Many weekend newspapers carried elaborative stories about the mafia style operation by these members of the “once-most-sacred profession.” Why I said “once-most-sacred profession” was probably due to the fact that the past glory of the occupation has already been extensively tarnished by many of its corrupt practitioners. Financial bribes are popularly known and we heard about several cases on sexual bribes, too. School admission is the most famous mafia operation where the principal would demand thumping perks, the parents would cheat through doctored documents and the poor child would lie as he or she was taught when facing interviews. This is how the child would start the marching towards the future. What a shame…!

If the education system is getting to these pathetic standards, where are we heading towards as a society? How can we teach morality and ethics to our children if their most sacred teachers and principals are so corrupt?

“Recently some principals started complaining that the students are no more worshiping them. Of course, the student knows the corrupt standards of these principals and teachers. The child knows how he/she got into the school, thus for the student, the principal is no more a sacred character, but a mafia businessman,” said a teacher of a Colombo school who did not want to be named.Read More