School wall collapses, parents demand inquiry for prior inaction
View(s):Parents of a school in the Southern Province are demanding an immediate inquiry regarding the sudden collapse of a parapet wall this week, as authorities had failed to take preventive action to remove the wall, despite previous warnings.
The incident occurred at the Thalpawila Madya Maha Vidyalaya in Matara, during heavy rains experienced on Tuesday.
“Lives of students were narrowly saved despite some of the children passing the wall at that particular time,” a parent said.
He said that Police Sgt Ranjith Vithanage who was on duty and parents were able to prevent children going towards the wall. The incident occurred shortly after 12 noon, when the Primary classes were over.
Parents said that the Principal had been informed on several occasions of the danger posed by the wall, but no action had been taken.
Officials from the Disaster Management Centre in Matara and Education officials from the region visited the location.