Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a seven-year-old boy has been deprived of his education due to a malfunction of the schooling system since 1 November 2007. His principal allegedly forced his mother to sign a statement that said she was removing her son of her own will. The statement was later used for justifying his removal from the school.
CASE DETAILS:
On 1 November 2007 when Batuvitage Indrani, the mother of seven-year-old Sadun Malshan went to collect her son from school she was told that the class teacher wanted to meet her. Accordingly she went to the class room and was told by the class teacher that there was a pencil belonging to another student in her son’s bag. However when Batuvitage Indrani checked the bag, she did not find anything of the sort and she duly informed the class teacher. The teacher then scolded her and told her to go and meet the Principal, L. Abeygunathilake.
The principal told Batuvitage Indrani that he cannot keep children who steal from other children in his school. He further told her to take her son to another school. He also forced her to sign a statement saying that she was removing her son from the school of her own free will. Unwittingly Batuvitage Indrani did as she was told. The principal then, issued the leaving certificate.
However, Batuvitage Indrani has not been able to get her son entered into another school as a result of which Sadun Malshan has not attended school since 1 November 2007.
On 25 January 2008, Batuvitage Indrani informed the Director of Provincial Education Kalutara, Provincial Department of Education in West Province, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Women and Children’s Bureau, Chairperson of Human Rights Commission and Inspector General of Police of this incident by written complaint.
On February 1, she informed the Probation office in Panadura of the incident in writing. On the same day, she met with the officers of that office and was told by them that the Principal was insisting that she had taken the child out of school on her own accord. They also informed her that they could not help her to find another school for her son.
On February 7, Batuvitage Indrani again wrote to the relevant authorities mentioned above. However, to date no action has been taken and Sadun Malshan has missed nearly 3 months of schooling.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the relevant authorities listed below and request them to take immediate action to restore the right to education of this seven-year-old school boy or to make any other appropriate arrangements for the continuation of the schooling and wellbeing of this child.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education calling for an intervention in this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
SRI LANKA: Seven-year-old boy removed from school without good reason
Name of victim: Kokawala Pathiranage Sadun Malshan, 7, Grade 2 student (m) of Kuruppumulla Sri Parakrama Viduhala, Panadura; residing at No. 77/1, Ariyaratna Mawatha, Walapala, Panandura
Date of incident: 1 November 2007
Place of incident: Kuruppumulla Sri Parakrama Viduhala, Panadura
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the alleged deprivation of the right to education of a seven-year-old school boy by the principal of Kuruppumulla Sri Parakrama Viduhala Panadura on 1 November 2007.
I am informed that the victim comes from an impoverished and broken family back ground and was accused of stealing a pencil from another student. I am informed that upon this accusation which was not even proved, the Principal informed the mother that he did not want to keep students who stole from other students and forced the mother to sign a statement saying that she was removing her son from school of her own will and the leaving certificate was issued.
I am informed that the mother has not been able to find another school for the victim.
I am further informed that the mother had complained of this injustice by written complaints to several authorities but to date had not been provided with any acknowledgement of her complaint or relief.
Therefore, I urge you to make inquiry into this incident and take steps to immediate restore the right to education of this seve-year-old school boy or to make any other appropriate arrangements for the continuation of the schooling and well being of this child taking into account his psychological and family background. I also urge you to enquiry into the reason of his removal and take disciplinary action against the principal if proven that the principal had arbitrarily deprived of his right to education.
Yours sincerely,
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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Director Provincial Education
No 76, Ananda Kumaraswamy Mawatha
Greenpath
Colombo 07
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 693 893 / 11 2 693 895
Fax: +94 11 2 693 894 (ATTN: PROVINCIAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION)
2. Minister for Education
Ministry of Education
“Isurupaya”
Battaramulla, Colombo
SRI LANKA
Tel: + 94 11 2 785 617
Fax: + 94 11 2 784 846
3. Chairperson
National Child Protection Authority
330, Thalawathgoda Road
Madiwella
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 778912/13/14
Fax: +94 11 2 778975
E-mail: ncpa@childprotection.gov.lk
4. Chairperson
OIC Women and Children’s Bureau,
25, Yst Building Srimath Baronthilake Mawatha
Colombo 01
SRI LANKA
5. Commissioner
Probation and Child Protection Services Western Province
204, Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha
Battaramulla
SRI LANKA
6. Secretary
Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk
7. Bo Viktor Nylun
Head of Child Protection
UNICEF Sri Lanka
P.O. Box 143, Colombo
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 555 270 (6 lines)
Fax: +94 11 2 551 333
E-mail: colombo@unicef.org
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org)
