Reference your news item appeared in the Sunday Observer of March 18, 2018.
The establishment of School Boards was an idea of the late Ranasinghe Premadasa when he was in charge of the Ministry of Education. These boards were named as ‘School Development Boards.’
On the instructions of the late President and the Secretary of the Ministry at that time M.D.D. Pieris, a drafted the regulations and were gazetted on 12.02.1992. After the notification there were protests from various people, groups, teachers, unions etc. Hence this matter was delayed for some time.
According to the Code of Regulations for private schools, School Management Boards have to be established. The Manager of the Board will be in charge of appointing the principals and teachers of schools that come under his purview. When appointing principals, the approval of the Ministry of Education had to be obtained. When qualified teachers are appointed, to make them pensionable the relevant forms have to be filled and sent to the Ministry along with their certificates by the management.
If efficient and qualified principals are appointed to Government schools, managers and assistant managers need not be appointed. There will be disagreements between these parties which will disturb the smooth running of schools. Hence this should be carefully studied with without taking a hasty decision. Men may come and men may go but the schools should go on very smoothly for ever.
Stanley A. Wijesinghe, Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education