Sri Lanka’s leading teacher’s union, has condemned the brutal assault by a principal to a female student.
The Ceylon Teachers Union stated that the action taken by the principal in Nuwara Eliya Educational zone is a black mark on all the teachers and the principals.
The female pupil who was brutally beaten by a principal wielding a broomstick is currently studying in Grade 10 of the Kotagala Bogahawaththa Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya in the Hatton district, which operates under Nuwara Eliya Educational Zone. The District Medical Officer of Kotagala Regional Hospital Savitri Sharma has said that the student was hospitalized in Kotagala hospital and later transferred to the Dickoya district base hospital for further treatment.
When the brother of the female student was getting scolded in derogatory language for not paying 300 rupees that was collected for the Teacher’s Day celebration, she had been chased away with a broomstick by the principal for saying, “Sir, don’t scold my brother. Our father works close by so I will tell him and ask for the money”. The student said that the principal brutally beat her with a broomstick.
The General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union, Joseph Stalin said that at a time where some teachers bring food from their home to provide for the children in their schools, the action by the accused principal had caused damage to the reputation of all teachers and principals.
The senior union leader accuses the government of trying to take money from students in schools especially while there is a circular to not take a single cent from students. Further, he requested the authorities to take lawful action against those collect money from students.
The Ceylon Teachers Union condemned such actions carried out disregarding circulars. These clearly state that school students should not be subjected to physical and mental punishments.
The leader of the teacher’s union Joseph Stalin further emphasized that the school principals of this country should think more progressively.
