|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 29 September 2002 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Altercations between rival schools on the rise : A question of discipline by Jayanthi Liyanage, Farah Macan Markar and Anjana Gamage In a disturbing modern trend, altercations between students of rival schools are becoming a common occurrence these days. On July 19 2002, a group of students from Nalanda Vidyalaya stormed into D.S. Senanayake College causing damage to property. A few days later, some students of President's College assaulted their counterparts from St. John's College in a school bus. The most recent altercation was between students of Bandaranaike Madya Maha Vidyalaya (BMMV) and Thakshila Maha Vidyalaya (TMV). In perhaps the most serious incident to date, a large group of boys from grade 11-13 of BMMV, armed with sticks and stones stormed, into TMV on September 23, seriously injuring one student and causing significant damage to property. Initial reports indicated that the Principal of TMV had also been injured. But later it was confirmed that about fifty windows and an air conditioner in the computer room had been destroyed. The total damage to the school was estimated to be about Rs. 100,000. The incident had lasted less than 30 minutes. And by the time the police arrived, the incident was over and the intruders had been sent back by teachers and a few prefects of BMMV who arrived on the heels of the attacking boys. Nine of them were arrested and later released. Two officers of the Zonal Education Department subsequently visited the school to inquire into the incident. While the report of the inquiry is pending, investigations reveal that the September 23 incident was not a one off attack, but an ugly culmination of a series of smaller, but no less significant, clashes between rival students of the two schools. On September 17, two BMMV students, Piyal and Kamal are alleged to have been set upon and assaulted by five TMV students in Ballummahar. Piyal (see box) had been badly injured. In a retaliatory attack the BMMV boys are alleged to have attacked the TMV boys on the following day, seriously injuring one in the arm. The matter had been temporarily settled by the mediation of a BMMV teacher. However, simmering resentment had flared up on Sunday, September 22 when at a tuition class attended by students from both schools, the TMV boys had allegedly taunted the BMMV boys as being "ganni wage", (like girls) for not retaliating in a more violent manner. The result was the incident on September 23. As the chronology of events indicate, there is no innocent party to the incident. Both schools have acted irresponsibly and are responsible for the breakdown in discipline. The attack carried out on September 23 may have been one by a larger crowd but the earlier attacks though smaller in scale are no less serious. The police say they have the situation under control now and that although no one will be penalised, stern action will be taken if the this kind of situation ever arises again. The Principals of both school, the prefect body, past pupil associations and teachers all say that measures are being taken to ensure that such incidents don't recur. The patching up efforts should be condoned. But the fact remains that three incidents of attacks between the same two schools did take place, and no effort was made to prevent September 23 from happening. Why didn't the police, the principals, the teachers or even the prefects for that matter who knew about the previous incidents not take any actions until it was too late? Could not this have been averted if any of the above people had taken stronger action before? The question remains moot as does allegations of outside forces instigating unrest in schools with the greater aim of creating chaos in the school system. Given the increased incidents of violence, not only between students of rival schools, but also against teachers and rival students of the same school, this is an allegation that needs to be investigated and put right if discipline in school are to become effective. Piyal's story It was Tuesday, September 17. I was coming home to Gampaha with my friend Kamal after the cricket match in Colombo. My friend and I are both Grade 10 students of Bandaranaike Madya Maha Vidyalaya. At a Gampaha bus stop, five grade 11 Thakshila boys got into the bus. The five of them then began making nasty comments which we ignored. At Ballummahara Kamal got down. The Thakshila boys too got down there. I then realised that Kamal might be in trouble, as these boys did not live there. I too got down. One Thakshila boy went and spoke to a three wheeler driver. The next moment the boys began to assault my friend. I tried to stop them. I did not want to hit them as I had earlier studied in Thakshila. However, they hit me. The three wheeler driver whom the Thakshila boy had spoken to, came and hit me in the stomach and then on my jaw, I fell unconscious. When I recovered I was being taken to hospital. I got four stitches. A question of 'manliness' Prefect Board (106 prefects) of Bandaranayake Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Gampaha, Local media has exaggerated the clash as having erupted over a love affair. We don't see it that way and the love affair has nothing to do with the final incident. There were various verbal altercation with the Thakshila students, since the assault on two of our brothers on September 18. However, at a Gampaha tuition class where both BMMV and Thakshila students attend, Thakshila students had questioned the manliness of BMMV students and this was not something the boys were prepared to ignore. A reflection of external violence Ranjith Jayasundera, Principal, Bandaranaike Madya Maha Vidyalaya -BMMV (a boys' school), Gampaha. (4,000 students and 137 teachers). "Last year our school produced the best A/L results in Gampaha. Compared to other schools, we had very good discipline, until this incident. When news of the attack was published, the students were shocked and upset about the slur made on the school's good name. Our disciplinary committee,(comprising BMMV teachers), will try to identify the students involved in the incident and penalise them in a fitting manner. Punishment could range from suspension to expulsion from school. The parents agree that the students should be penalised in some manner to instil discipline. The situation almost back to normal now. On Friday, I went with my teachers and representatives of the Old Boys Association to Thakshila Vidyalaya and had discussions with the Principal, teachers and students to promote good will between the two schools. We plan to introduce a number of programmes to promote brotherhood and fellowship among the students. We will also have a Shramadana campaign for our students to repair the damages done to Thakshila property, so that they will learn to see the havoc they caused in a broader perspective. A reflection of the violence we encounter in the external society could also surface in schools from time to time and we need to enforce a strong system of rules and regulations to sustain an equally strong sense of discipline among students." Maximum punishment H. M. Sirisena, Secretary to the Education Ministry who visited Gampaha Bandaranaike Maha Vidyalaya last Tuesday to investigate into the issue said that a special investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Director of the National School Division P. H. P. Geeganage. The Secretary who visited Bandaranaike Madya Maha Vidyalaya, immediately after the incident said that clashes between students has become a new trend in Sri Lanka. "Only few incidents were reported at the beginning. But now it seems to be on the increase. Schools are also a part of society. Therefore it is every ones' duty to protect this 'holy place'. " Sirisena said that the Ministry had already commenced awareness programmes among schoolchildren and requested parents, teachers, students and neighbours to assist them in making it successful. He dismissed allegations of political motivation but warned that whoever is found guilty after the investigation, will receive maximum punishment according to regulations of the Education Ministry. Committee A two-member committee comprising the Deputy Director of National School Division Nandasena Mundigala and another Education Officer Jayasiri have been appointed by the Director to probe into the matter. The committee report will be handed over this week, and after that disciplinary action will be taken against either the principal or the students, sources said. School pride was slighted Mrs. H.B. Dharma Dassanayake, Principal, Thakshila Maha Vidyalaya -TMV (a mixed school), Gampaha. (1560 students and 56 teachers). For ten years I was at BMMV. and joined Thakshila in 1999 as Deputy Principal and assumed duties as Principal this year. The 84-year old BMMV and ten-year-old our school had always maintained very cordial relations. I feel that BMMV could have avoided the incident had they taken prompt preventive measures when we informed the Principal about the incident on the 18the . After the incident five of their staff came to see us on a mission of good will. Contrary to media reports, I was not injured. The Police has posted some officers near our school now. The reason why BMMV attacked us was very clearly their "school pride" and the fact that it had been slighted by the assault on two of their students. The 84-year-old BMMV has a lot of people strength behind it. One of the reasons of eroding values and discipline among school students is the proliferation of pornographic magazines and videos which are sneaked in to schools. Education authorities need to start a massive process of action within the education system if we are prevent society from degenerating. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
