New guidelines for schools' development

The Education Ministry issued a circular last week prohibiting the school authorities from collecting money irrationally from students throughout the year.

The four-page circular issued by the Secretary to the Education Ministry, Upali Marasinghe outlined that, other than the stipulated school fees collected at the beginning of every year, no one is allowed to ask for money from students or parents. The directive said the collection of money in the guise of school development work, past pupil association activities or class circles for different expenses have been strictly prohibited.

The schools have been asked to list out the regular expenses of a school and obtain the approval of the Ministry to raise whatever that is shortcoming to meet the water, electricity and other mandatory expenses of a school. All these collections will have to be subject for government audit under new regulations. The construction of new buildings and any modifications to the schools too have been freezed temporarily. The the expansion of classroom faciliteis with the idea of increasing the number of classes in popular schools have also been stopped.

The circular said it is permitted for the Past Pupils' Associations or any individual to donate funds or equipement to schools through a proper procedure that can be subject to auditing to prevent corruption and malpractices in the school system.