No role for past pupils in new national policy on Grade 1 admissions

Past pupils’ associations of several leading schools are up in arms as a new policy on year one admissions is being drafted without taking into account their views as they play a major role in the progress of their respective alma maters.

The associations said a joint request made by them for a meeting with the National Education Commission (NEC) to discuss the new policy before it finalised a national policy has drawn no response.

The NEC started drafting a new admission policy after a March 29 Supreme Court ruling in a fundamental rights case pertaining to grade one admission. The courts called on the Education Ministry to submit a national policy on school admissions for it to review whether it conformed with the fundamental rights provisions of the Constitution.

During the case, the petitioners pointed out that the present system was open to corruption. The court held that the National Education Commission Act empowered the President to declare from time to time the National Education policy.

Dr Anura Rabel of Ananda College Old Boys’ Association said that since past pupils associations played a major role in developing schools, they must have a say in school admissions.

The associations are of the view that the current system of admitting children living within a five mile radius of school must be stopped as it has led to corruption.

Rathanasabapathy Udakumara, secretary of the Royal College Union, also echoed a similar view. He said if the quota for past pupils category was reduced, it would be difficult for the school to approach past pupils to seek their help in developing the school.

“The Royal College sports complex was put up by the old boys and the hostel meant for students who enter the college by passing the year 5 scholarship exam was put up by the old boys despite the fact that their children would not be using the facility,” he said.

The past pupil associations said they wanted the percentage of children of past pupils to be raised to 50 per cent and the sibling category to be raised to 20 per cent from the present 15 per cent.

NEC Chairman A.V. Suraweera said the new policy was almost ready and would be handed over to the President once he returned to the country from his West Asia tour.

He said the new policy would conform to the Supreme Court judgment and the President would, if he deemed necessary, submit it to the court for scrutiny.Mr. Suraweera said there would not be a delay in school admissions for next year due to the adoption of the new policy.