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No postman, no University admission
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Nayana's hopes dashed. Pic by Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi
Lack of a postman at the sub-post office of a remote village, has deprived a deserving student from gaining admission to university.
L.G.H. Nayana Sanjeewani from the village of Thelawilla in Suriyawewa, had sat the 2015 GCE Advanced Level Exam in the Arts Stream, from Thelawilla Maha Vidyalaya, and secured 1 A and 2 Bs.
Accordingly, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had sent her a letter via registered post, informing Nayana she had qualified to enter Rajarata University, and to register with the UGC before January 30, if she wished to enrol. However, due to the lack of a postman at the Thelawilla sub-post office, the letter had only reached Nayana on February 6, by which time the deadline for registration had passed.
About 250 families live in the Thelawilla Grama Niladhari Division of Suriyawewa. Due to the lack of a postman, villagers have to traverse some three km to the sub-post office, to check their mail. Nayana said she had been unable to go to the post office during the week that the letter had arrived, as her father was ill.
Nayana’s mother, P.A. Seetha said her husband had been suffering from an illness for several years, and she provided for the family by doing odd jobs. She lamented that her daughter had missed an opportunity to further her studies.
She said she has sent an appeal to the UGC, but to date, has had no response.