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Power struggle affects school
A power struggle among the principal, a section of the Old Girls’ Association and the teachers has affected the students in a leading school in Colombo. The series of incidents came to a head when some of the students were allegedly attacked and were taken to hospital on Thursday.

According to the OGA, the conflict with the principal had allegedly commenced in January amidst claims that abusive language had been used on some teachers as well as on students. Theysaid out of the 146 teachers 104 had protested against the principal and 13 of them had been allegedly threatened with transfers, but later, the Education Ministry had suspended the transfers.

"School timetables had changed 4 times within the second term. The G.C.E O/L and A/L students do not know which subjects to study. Some classes have more than one teacher for one period while some have none", they said. The OGA claimed that prefects had not been appointed for the year so far and that at the interviews some had been asked directly whether they would take the side of the principal.

According to Education Ministry sources, both the Education Director of Colombo South and the National Schools Director had been in the school premises during the attack last Thursday.

In a related development the National Child Protection Authority and the Bambalapitiya Police are conducting further investigations into the incident. Prof. Harendra de Silva, chairman of the NCPA said he had been told by the children that the principal and outsiders had taken part in the assault.

Education Ministry Resources and National Schools Director Mr. Geeganage said that so far no allegations have been proved against the principal. Bambalapitiya Police and the special police unit of the NCPA are conducting further inquiries. St. Paul's Milagiriya principal, Sarojini Ranasinghe, who is at the centre of the controversy declined to comment.

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