4,000 more principals to get military titles

27 February 2013 03:25 am - 46 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Some 4,000 school principals have been called for interviews at the Cadet Corps Headquarters next week to be awarded military titles, raising more concerns over the militarization of more than 50 per cent of the schools in the country.

The letters sent out by the Sri Lanka Cadet Corps (SLCC) state that officials of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service who hold the post of principal and those in Grades I and II of the principal’s service have been asked to attend the interviews on March 4, 5 and 6. They are expected to be awarded the titles of lieutenant, major or captain.

A SLCC spokesman who wished to remain anonymous confirmed that interviews would be held next week and titles awarded after a 45-day period of training.

Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin who objected to this move said out of the 9,662 schools in this country more than 50 per cent would be administered by a military official.

“This is a complete militarization of the school system and a heavy blow to its independence because these schools will be managed not only by the Education Ministry but under the intervention of the Defense Ministry,” Mr. Stalin said.

He the principals who would be absorbed into the military service through this programme and thus lose their right to engage in political activities.

Meanwhile, Ceylon Teachers Service Union (CTSU) General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe said although the Education Ministry approved the awarding military titles to school principals imagining that it would build discipline in schools but simply donning a military uniform would not help maintain discipline.

Last year some 23 principals, mostly from popular schools in Colombo including Ananda College, Devi Balika Vidyalaya and Nalanda College were awarded the title of colonel after ten days of training at the Rantambe Cadet Camp. (Lakna Paranamanna)

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Comments - 46

Hilarious rajapassas Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:39 PM

I TOLD YA RAJAPASSA ARE DUMB MUTTS< IDIOTS< THEY ARE ALL GONE NUTS>GOTA IS A BIG NUT CASE

willows Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:45 AM

a god move, discipline is the most effective thing to teach to kids

DeSelva Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:06 AM

what is wrong with Sri Lanka is Sri Lankans.
we sit back and take everything on the chin...as they defeated terrorism

Nandana Wednesday, 27 February 2013 09:40 AM

I think it is alright to be militrilize the schools as i see the diciplin we had when we were in school is gone... Atleast by this they will learn to behave properly,

I am with you first the big idiots then the students good move

Don Wednesday, 27 February 2013 10:12 AM

Principals are getting mil ranks, school drop outs getting doctorates, criminals becomes ministers... indeed a small miracle.

mack Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:00 AM

I wonder if we are living under a Taliban regime via DM Android App

Thomas Wednesday, 27 February 2013 02:38 PM

Sri Lanka is being militarised little by little to become a dictorial regime

surasena Wednesday, 27 February 2013 02:44 PM

Yes it is a GOD move, GOD may help Sri Lanka

kalu malli Wednesday, 27 February 2013 03:04 PM

Give them military ranks...this way if they don't follow orders..easier to prosecute them under military law and in a military court.

Reminds me of Saddam.

Randy Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:01 PM

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!

Upul Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:05 PM

Giving a training is fine, but what is the use of that title. Another unnecessary step of the government. Sri Lankans still respect the title "Principal" or "Teacher".

Upul Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:06 PM

Willows, Could you explain how those titles contribute to disciplines?

Calistus Jayatilleke Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:36 AM

Now the madness has spread to cover the entire gamut . What a joke to have Colonels to manage schools. Obviously, the game plan is to militarize the whole country what with military training to university entrants etc. How about giving titles of soldiers to all students and give them a uniform?

student1 Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:41 PM

whenever the government does something everyone are ready to criticise it.
I bet no one knows the level of discipline maintained by the Cadet corps. I was at last years future leaders training at the Cadet Corp camp in Rantembe and i noticed a significant change in the behaviour of the students towards the end of the training.I bet no one out there knows the value of the Cadet Corps towards building a better society for our countrys future!!

youand me Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:32 PM

MAADDNNEESS

undercover Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:35 PM

The category Gota should consider are Taxi Drivers of over
say 10 yrs. service! This will spread the political Voting needs
as much as the 4000 Principals spread Island wide will
achieve. The long term agenda is very evident to all Sri
Lankans. Watch out for disaster.

akex pandiyan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 10:43 PM

The country is in a BAD SHAPE the pre communist ERA in EASTERN EUROPE. Just one more thing, when SRI LANKA will impose COMPULSARY MILITARY TRAINING from age 12?

Susantha Athukorale Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:01 PM

This idiot don't know anything about dicipline,this is why western children don't have any dicipline,my father taught me dicipline and when I was student 50 yrs ago cadeting taught me dicipline. Good move .Well done Sri Lanka
Sam

bernardwijeyasingha Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:07 PM

Great idea. Take a page from Israel where all eligible people have to serve some time in the military making Israel the most militant nation in the world. So why not Sri Lanka?

Lal.Fernando. Wednesday, 27 February 2013 11:39 PM

Discipline is a very good. But militirisation of scchools is not a good idea.The best way is roll modelling.How can we be roll models when we have murderous ministers in our parliment and still alow to be ministers.

Izeth Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:28 AM

Joseph Stalin! OMG!

Vishali Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:49 AM

Madness has a limit

CW Thursday, 28 February 2013 01:11 AM

I do not think this is militarisation. When we were at schools about 30-40 years ago we had teachers and principals with military titles. We had no problems studying. The discipline & education was of very high standard. Only thing we did not see was school kids ( including primary) demonstrating with placards they could not even read, let alone understand.

Bandara Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:49 AM

First of all principals" from popular schools in Colombo should be trained to give a "report" of the student's performance during the previous term. The principal of the most popular girls' school in Colombo does not practice the said rule. When students do well at A/Ls it is published as an index but it is the sweat and blood of students, parents and private tutors that amount to students success.

Rizwan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 12:00 AM

I prey that 225 ministers get principal titles.

ramkumar Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:09 AM

This action is very clear indication to prove the way country heading. Now the majority of the people will realize what is going in.

citizen Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:44 AM

Provincial councils local governments all under military arm. defense ministry is just a short distance away from being the governing body of Sri Lanka.

soon President will be given honorary military title too and we will be like Libya N Korea Burma.....

and then we lose that too. north Korea has a new baby brother coming up - Sri Lanka!

maybe this Geneva resolution should go ahead and some sanctions should come in. with sanctions people of this country will begin to revolt. (Arab revolts were all against heavily militarized/corrupt governance)

if not we will slowly get used to this soft but rapid militarization and before we now it we will not have any rights left.

citizen Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:49 AM

interesting. so the claims from "western governments" on militarization of civil bodies is not false. if this can happen in schools guess the north and east will have ten fold of it.

the future of our kids is officially messed up. soon all international schools will also be brought under some stupid regulation -

seeya Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:57 AM

O my God! Save our generation in Sri Lanka.

seeya Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:28 AM

Another imported idea from China in order to bring Sri Lanka as Chilanka.

Rata Haraka Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:32 AM

Where is this country headed? At first we were headed nowhere, but now this is worse. Looks like we're headed straight to hell.

Ranil Wednesday, 27 February 2013 05:46 AM

Been an old anandian and studied during col. Rajapaksha and col. Kudaligama's period the school was run with utmost deciplene and paved the way for many to serve the country in the hour of need. Only difference is they professional solders before school principals, as the present scheme is just the opposite we have to wait and see of the outcome. If one suggest this is militirization of the schools, i suggest they speak to some anandians, nalandians and boys from dharmaraja and they will tell the difference

Vicks Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:18 AM

Actually.... what is wrong with Sri Lanka?

Kalubanda Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:33 AM

Vikara ! - This is madness. Is it also that those who the gods want to destroy first make them mad ?

Ranjit Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:33 AM

This is to Gotabadize the shcools.

Kumara Wednesday, 27 February 2013 04:07 AM

Even Nazi Germany in the midst of WW2 didn't do something like this. To call up principals for military training. This is really really ridiculous. What's the purpose of doing this?

Tharindu Eroshan Hen Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:49 AM

It's great .. I mean at least principal will check the dress of teachers who don't know to wear a shirt ,who don't know to shave and who don't know to keep alcohol away from students.

and As well as teachers ..student will be bit afraid to a teacher with commission.

it's better to have such training to a teacher even without any rank.

NCC ranks are based on volunteer service and It won't effect to anyone's freedom.any officer can request to decommission his/her rank within 3 months. so it's totally free from military system.(regular army officer must maintain his/her 10-12 year bond and compare to it 3 months is a great privilege as per rank,I heard some urgent decommission system of 40 days,but I don't know it for sure).

Tharindu Eroshan Hen Wednesday, 27 February 2013 06:56 AM

try to see it independently.and remember
" ලියන්නා කෙසේ ලියුවත් ,කියවන්නා සිහි බුද්ධියෙන් කියවිය යුතු වේ "

admetus Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:17 AM

A/L students of rural national schools are no more students. They are loafers, thugs, perverts, and fathers. The occasionally found student has no place. Teachers are scared of students, and some teachers take pride of maintaining the gang of thugs under their rule. The system is pathetic. You need a u-turn in some manner.

ChickenParippu Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:37 AM

THIS is what the UNHRC and all the other do-gooders should look into - and prevent. not something that happened 4 years ago.

ChickenParippu Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:37 AM

i like that word.

ANTON Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:47 AM

There are some other fields they are to be given a training.. like General law, Management, 5 S, English /Tamil etc

Yohan Perera Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:50 AM

Joseph Stalin, stop talking. and take action against this nonsense like a man.

ANTON Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:55 AM

Cos it does not have rights.

funny man Wednesday, 27 February 2013 07:55 AM

Why stop at militarising only Principals? go the whole hog and recruit all the Teachers, school kids and the whole education Department personnel. You can then brainwash the lot so that we will end up a Military dictatorship. Where is the stupid opposition a gutless mob who dont even open their mouths and see the erosion of democracy in this land.

purepankan Wednesday, 27 February 2013 08:03 AM

but, why???

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4,000 more principals to get military titles

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