Regulate international schools-NCPA

21 October 2012 12:50 am - 21 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) called for the intervention of the Education Ministry to regulate international schools in the country, pointing out they receive a vast amount of complaints concerning incidents of child abuse that takes place within them.

NCPA Chairman Anoma Dissanayake speaking to Daily Mirror said, “We have received several complaints verbally and in writing, of children from international schools being abused within school environments due to the negligence of the administrations. In some of the cases, it was the teachers who were the instigators of verbal, emotional and physical abuse.”

Mrs. Dissanayake pointed out the lack of regulations or standards concerning the establishment or maintenance of international schools are the main reason behind this issue. “At present, there aren’t effective laws governing international schools in the country. Anyone and everyone can establish an international school if they are financially capable to do so. As a result most schools do not have child friendly environments and the staffs are not properly trained,” she said.

Speaking further, she said a letter was sent to Education Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Jayaratne, highlighting the predicament and added she is expecting a prompt reply. “We will be happy to assist the education ministry in drafting the protocols necessary to form a regulatory system on international schools in the country,” she added. (Lakna Paranamanna)

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

Comments - 21

tharu Sunday, 21 October 2012 08:45 AM

Some people want to create more problem in this country. Please ensure quality of private education. Bring regulations for this. We hear sexual abuse in national school and universities.

xlntgson Tuesday, 23 October 2012 06:25 AM

There are very few schools per se international, others follow local syllabus and texts (no texts available in the publication dept. is a convenenient excuse)mixing vernacular always short of teachers placing phoney ads for trainee teachers, shown the door before training period!

RamUK Monday, 22 October 2012 10:47 AM

Have to agree with you. In my experience the student from international schools are more employable than state school students.

buffaloa citizen Monday, 22 October 2012 07:31 AM

Very solid and truthful comment. In my experience, government schools have more indiscipline than international schools. Racism, dishonesty and misbehaviour are common in government schools though nobody wants to talk about this because the children in these schools are from powerful parents mainly working in top government and armed forces positions. These students also lack accountability because everything is free public money. The recent incident from a public school in Galle says it all. Anoma should have resigned on the orphanage incident but then she is also like our thick skinned politicians.

realist Monday, 22 October 2012 06:21 AM

Since going to an international school is voluntary, the parents can just move their kids to another school. Any school that does the above things will go out of business without the help of the NCPA. The NCPA cannot protect children from being raped by politicians and politically connected people so I guess they have to find some kind of scapegoat.

manju Monday, 22 October 2012 03:31 AM

Parents are able to complain to management and even withdraw children from international school IF there is anything wrong.

Gov schools this is not possible because of influence from higher up to safe guard teachers and principals when there is a complaint.

besides can NCPA provide statistics of abuses in Int schools and Govt schools? can they show number of cases worked on and action taken?

this is just unfounded statements to get some publicity and pave way for a bigger ulterior agenda!

faizal Sunday, 21 October 2012 05:41 PM

She is targetting to enrich private and semi government schools, who already charges rs 300,000 to rs 700,000 as admission.

ampare son Sunday, 21 October 2012 02:44 PM

sri lanka dont have single international school. IB school headquaters in switzerland.

W A F Sunday, 21 October 2012 01:50 PM

There are some abuses that may not fall within any of the categories mentioned in the article. One thing I have heard from a friend of mine is that an international school, run by a family where the heads of the school are the family members. While their children also attend the same school, and more than often, they by norm become the ‘best’ students in every arena (athletics, sports, music, arts, dance and academic). It is not the fact they are the best in everything, but the abuse is that there is no transparent and acceptable procedure/process how those best are selected. Teachers are under pressure by the heads of school to select their kids as the best of all. This school adheres to no basic principles such as teacher-parents committees. One can imagine the amount of abuse the kids are going through in such an international, but nationally run school!

Cobra Sunday, 21 October 2012 12:28 PM

As if they have cleaned up the National schools of rampant child abuse!

faizal Sunday, 21 October 2012 10:11 AM

The entire statement is more abusive than the fact that she is talking about.

Ahmad Sunday, 21 October 2012 02:34 AM

System does not support complaints originate from local or national schools.

Hussain Sunday, 21 October 2012 05:54 AM

What is this 'nut job' up to now? Isn't this the nincompoop who had a nun arrested sometime back. She must have nothing better to do or wants her stinking name in the papers once again. If there is a problem in these schools the parents would complain to the management & if nothing is done they would just withdraw their children. Is she trying to ruin private education too.

suny Sunday, 21 October 2012 05:47 AM

My two kids went to an international school from pre school to A level. They were broght up well. She must look into private tution classes and not International schools. Asked your brother as his son went to an International School

Praveen Sunday, 21 October 2012 05:15 AM

Why would anyone want to write to her?

MalcomX Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:37 AM

If these schools are "internationals" they should be investigated by the so-called international community, not by a local body like NCPA

Public Abilik Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:31 AM

Thanks for pointing that out. When we were attending school, we were also verbally and physically abused. But during that era, it was called 'Discipline', where canings were not uncommon. We turned out to be decent, educated and law abiding citizens.

Public Abilik Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:28 AM

She talking out of her behind. International schools attract a better breed of teachers, mostly with better teaching methods. The higher school fees guarantee that the facilities found are also obviously higher. If not, parents would not be paying exorbitant rates to educate their children. As a parent with two children in an international school, I have first hand experience of how the Principal and teachers are going out of their way to help out the kids. Anoma is the same woman who instigated the raid on an orphanage without any proof, and had the Nuns arrested. She is a power hungry Nutcase.

Dulan de Silva Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:27 AM

Is there no abuse in Govt schools? This is another way to create more jobs and give power to govt servants and politicians . Are the country's laws regarding child abuse not applicable in international schools?

soma Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:17 AM

Good move... International schools is international. Behavior is there. From early days you can learn fully developed stuff easily in International schools.

mamath Sunday, 21 October 2012 03:24 AM

If NCPA is an authority, it should have "authority" to carryout its mandate. Otherwise better change its name to "National Child Protection Advisory Board"?

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Regulate international schools-NCPA

Comments - 21

Add comment

RECOMMENDED

UDA owned land in Thalawathugoda; UDA Minister Prasanna Ranatunga under the spotlight for forceful occupation of reserved land

Loss-making SMIB faces political pressure in recovering loans

Baltimore Bridge Collapse: MV Dali, SL authorities anchored in mystery?

Has Sri Lanka become a potential hub for the illegal wildlife trade?

Spotlight on Moragahakanda Development Project Moragolla villagers lose livelihoods and down to one meal a day

Ambitious Sri Lankan jobseekers ‘trafficked into Ukraine war zones’

Western purple-faced langurs see blue!

Most Viewed in News

A US “Kaputa”, a Lankan “Nariya” and a Presidential “Feast”

Street food vendor arrested for verbally harassing foreigner

Complaint lodged over Piumi Hansamali's possession of Gota’s Range Rover

Belgian traveller scammed in Kalutara

New Visa procedure implemented

Former MP Palitha Thewarapperuma dies from electrocution

MIRROR CRICKET

How does CSK get best out of Pathirana?

Mendis, Mathews move up in ICC Test Rankings

Chamodi, Dewmi spins Sri Lanka U19 Women to big win

Amir, Wasim return to Pakistan national team

TODAY'S HEADLINES

100 Police personnel trained to target criminals operating on motorbikes

Catholic Church receives full report

Complaint lodged over Piumi Hansamali’s possession of Gota’s Range Rover

We are struggling with severe shortage of staff – Excise Chief

Mendis, Mathews move up in ICC Test Rankings

Security raised for Champions League ties after threat

SLA target four events at Paris Olympic Games

Chamodi, Dewmi spins Sri Lanka U19 Women to big win