A group of parents have gathered outside an international school in Gampaha in protest, demanding relief from the school fees of their children. They alleged that the school had not provided any relief for them during the COVID-19 pandemic and that sub-standard teachers have been appointed to teach their children. The parents claim that their children have therefore not received the required level of education that was expected from the school. "Most of the parents who send their children to this school come from a middle class background. Therefore, we have suffered financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have requested that the school grant us relief as the school does not have to pay for electricity and water bills. We have also received information that the teachers are only being paid their basic salaries. We ask that relief be granted for us from the amount reduced due to these reasons," a parent said. The parents alleged that fees for electricity and water, as well as for external activities such as cookery and electronics, have been added to the final bills of the students even though there were no such resources set apart at the school to facilitate such activities. The parents also claimed that even though numerous letters had been addressed to the Principal with regard to these matters, they have been completely ignored. "Finally, we had been asked to attend a PTA meeting. But they had cancelled it while we were here. We have received no response from the management for over a year. This is why we started the protest," a parent said.