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Teacher seeks redress from SLHRC against principal’s harassment
A Nuwara Eliya teacher has complained to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) that she is being repeatedly harassed by the acting principal of the Silver Kandy Tamil Maha Vidyalayam (TMV).
The complainant alleged that ever since she had helped two children to go before the SLHRC in January this year, she has been harassed. It is learned the children were denied admission to Silver Kandy TMV because they could not pay Rs 2,800 towards the School Development Fund (SDF), as demanded by the Principal.
The teacher, T. Dharani said she had been refused a timetable for January and February, and following complaints to the Governor’s office, she had obtained a timetable for March.
Following her complaint to the Governor’s office, it is alleged that the Principal had lobbied several teachers and students close to him, to act against the teacher. She has been also taken off the Sports register.
The Ceylon Teacher’s Union (CTU), Central Province, confirmed that a complaint (No. HRC2747/18) was lodged on March 18, 2019 with the SLHRC.
Secretary Senthi Sivagnanam said the school is in the practice of terminating the education of children who are weak in their studies, and sending them home. It is alleged that the parents are told their children are wasting their time in school and encouraged to remove them from school. This is done to boost the image of the school, with the motive of showing exemplary results in the percentage of students sitting national exams.
In December 2018, the teacher had helped two siblings, a Grade 5 student Arutraj and his sister, seek redress at the SLHRC for violation of their basic right to Education.
The children’s parents claimed they had been refused admission to Grade 6 of Silver Kandy TMV, as they could not contribute to the SDF, as demanded by the school authorities. Arutraj had sought admission in 2015, and his sister in 2016.
The children were from Brookside Estate School, Nuwara Eliya, which conducts only Primary classes (Grades 1-5).
According to Ministry of Education regulations, it is optional for parents to give donations to the SDF and the maximum amount that can be solicited from a student is Rs 600.
The case was taken up in January 2019 at the SLHRC and the school was ordered to admit the children. Arutraj had lost 3 years of his studies and is now studying in Grade 7, while his sister had lost 2 years and is in Grade 6.
In another instance, Mr Sivagnanam alleged, the same principal – Udayakumar – had expelled 2 sisters in 2016 for absenteeism.
It transpired that one girl had fallen ill, for which both sisters were penalised. Furthermore, the Principal had phoned three schools in the vicinity, and warned the authorities against taking them in.
The two girls, however, had found placements at Kandepola Methodist TMV and completed their Ordinary Level studies.
Principal Udayakumar told the Sunday Times that the teacher was not given her timetable because of students’ complaints about her Tamil dialect, “She speaks Jaffna Tamil, which is not understood by the students,” he said.
“I have informed the Walapane Zonal Director, P.B. Navaratne about this,” he said.
The teacher has been serving at Silver Kandy TMV for the last four years, and spans a 12-year teaching career in schools in the Hanguranketha and Walapane Education Zones.
Mr. Navaratne said he had received several complaints about Ms Dharani’s teaching abilities.
However, he said, arrangements are being made to have Principal Udayakumar transferred from the school. “Already a new Principal has been nominated and the appointment will be made in due course,” he said.
The CTU has also written to the Central Province Education Ministry regarding the matter. Deputy Director Education, H.A.W. Dhanawardena said the matter is under investigation.