• SL Professional Principals’ Association Prez Sugeeshwara Wimalaratne emphasises the need to value the status of principals and to improve their position in order to provide a better service to students 

Although the authorities have proposed and provided solutions to various issues in the school-education sector from time to time, these measures have not adequately addressed the challenges faced by school principals. While there are a number of existing issues that need solutions, the position of principal too needs to be improved for schools to provide better services to students.

Stressing this, the Sri Lanka Professional Principals' Association President Sugeeshwara Wimalaratne said that the position of principal needs to be valued, and that it is now more important than before. He made these remarks during an interview with The Daily Morning, where he pointed out a number of improvements for the school-education sector.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Those serving in the education system including school principals have raised a number of unresolved issues. What are the most pressing issues faced by principals at present?

The post of the principal is one of the most prominent positions within the public service, and it involves a number of responsibilities and duties. The common notion is that principals work from 7.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. That is not correct. The nature of a principal’s job requires that he/she be present in school from the time the very first student enters the school to the time the very last one leaves the premises. In addition, very often, we have to attend to matters of school, even on holidays and during vacation. However, despite such hard work, this segment of the service is facing many issues, some of which are as simple as not being given the same facilities as other officials of the public service of the same grade. For example, principals not being given a phone allowance (as other officials of the same grade) have compelled them to use personal phones for official work and bear the cost. Some officials in the same grade receive an allowance because they are not entitled to overtime pay, which principals also do not receive. The only allowance that is available to principals is the one given based on the school category. However, the highest allowance given under this is Rs. 6,500, which is given to principals of the biggest schools, and it is not commensurate with the duties involved. No economic value has been added to the position of the principal and their status in the current economy is at a very low level, despite the fact that they act as the head of the institution that creates the country’s future generation. This in turn shows the value we have assigned to the education sector. There are issues when it comes to the quality of the education as well. People want to provide their children with quality education, in which case principals’ qualification should improve as the head of the institution. When a principal follows a post-graduate diploma in order to improve their qualifications they have to spend from their own pocket. However, these qualifications are taken into consideration as a professional qualification when giving promotions and various positions at the school level. At present, a post-graduate diploma costs around Rs. 500,000. Those in the education administrative service and teacher service receive the course fee. But, principals do not receive such support. In addition, there are issues concerning transfers and regulations pertaining to professional development.

What sort of solutions have principals sought regarding these issues?

First of all, as far as our professional issues are concerned, we have requested solutions from many successive governments, and many governments and ministers have promised to provide solutions. However, none of those promises have materialised. There is a salary anomaly when a person shifts from the teacher service to the principal service. For example, if two teachers entered the teacher service in 2010 and one teacher shifted to the principal service in 2016 while the other remained a teacher, by this year (2023), the one who decided to remain a teacher receives a higher salary than the teacher turned principal does. We have put forward suggestions to resolve this, and if solutions were provided, this salary anomaly would be resolved to an optimal level. When a teacher becomes a principal, their salary should be amended considering it as a promotion. There is a circular in this regard as well. However, there are 100 Zonal Education Offices in Sri Lanka which determine (the principals’) salaries in various ways, and there is no uniformity in that process. This needs to be streamlined.

Many say that Sri Lanka’s education model is considerably outdated and that massive reforms are necessary for the sector. What sort of suggestions do principals put forward to improve the quality of the education sector?

Whether the sector is outdated or not, depends on the standards that we take into account. I don’t think that we can say that the sector is outdated. It would be incorrect, in a context where schools have produced educated professionals and continue to produce students eligible for higher education. However, the country needs education reforms. That reform needs to take place in a manner that is suitable for modern-day working environments. We see a huge gap between those who seek employment and those who provide employment, which means that there is an issue. Sri Lanka needs education reforms that are capable of creating professionals, or global citizens that fit the modern-day labour force. At the same time, Sri Lanka, as a country that is based considerably on agriculture, should produce workers for agricultural activities, export crops, fishing, the apparel sector, and other small-scale industries. The previous generation worked in many of these sectors. However, the current generation is not as interested in joining these sectors. In addition, many of these sectors are looked down on, and those working in these sectors are not given the due value. There is a pressing need for education reforms that focus on practical aspects of creating professionals for these sectors.

A recent media report claimed that a principal had forced a student to consume polythene lunch sheets as a punishment. It is a common notion that Sri Lanka has a long way to go when it comes to adopting modern, more ethical methods of disciplining over corporal punishment. What is your opinion about this?

Under no circumstance do we condone punishment, cruelty, or harassment against children at home, in the school, or in society. That is not acceptable in terms of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Sri Lanka’s laws concerning children, and also our culture. Principals do not condone that. However, we cannot blame the entire sector because of the actions of one. Regardless of who did it, it is wrong. However, we all have responsibilities. Both children as well as teachers and principals should have that responsibility. If a certain set of disciplines and values have been introduced to students, they must be committed to adhering to those and parents should also pay attention to the same. On the other hand, teachers, principals, and student leaders should also be committed to ensuring the same. If the two groups are on two sides and go against the other’s attempts to ensure adherence to values, then actions need to be taken. However, a principal should not make a student consume something, regardless of whether it is consumable or not. We don’t condone taking actions outside the law, be it a student or a principal.

Technology has become an integral part of education in the modern world. What do you think about the adoption of technology in Sri Lanka’s education sector?

Schools, teachers, principals, and parents are ready to go forward. There is a need. But, what is being done is not adequate to fulfil that need. Schools should create global citizens that fit the modern world. At the very least, we should be able to give equal value to the textbook and modern teaching methods-based education. We need facilities to advance from our current position where traditional education methods are prevalent. However, most schools in Sri Lanka don’t have adequate electricity, water, and road access related facilities, among others. In a school with no proper electricity supply, how can we use a computer or a tab or have a computer lab? While the students of mainstream schools have access to those facilities, many schools do not, which creates a problem of inequality. That needs to be addressed. The authorities also face challenges when providing these facilities to rural schools, because, sometimes, even if they were ready to provide certain technology-related facilities, such programmes come to a halt because some rural schools don’t have the necessary infrastructure facilities. Sri Lanka’s approaches in promoting technology should focus on equality.