Uduvil school crisis: Bishop pledges impartial probe into student attacks

Head of the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India (JDCSI), Bishop Daniel Thiagarajah has promised an impartial inquiry into allegations of attacks against students demanding an extension of service for a retiring headmistress at an elite girl’s school in Jaffna.

The Uduvil Girls’ College, a private school managed by the JDCSI has been in the eye of a storm since the beginning of this month, after past pupils, students and a group of parents cried foul over the appointment of a new principal and what they referred to as the ‘forcible retirement’ of outgoing headmistress, Shiranee Mills.

Past pupils and parents claim that the protesting students were attacked by several members of the staff supporting the new principal on 7 September, one day before the school term started at UGC.

“Following our discussion with the parents a decision has been made to conduct an inquiry concerning allegations of some teachers attacking the protesting students. We assure the school community that this inquiry will be conducted in an independent and impartial manner. There were also allegations that some students attacked the teachers. This will also be looked into at the inquiry,” a statement by the UGC Board and Executive Committee of the JDCSI pledged.

The decision was reached following a meeting between some parents of students, Bishop Thiagarajah and members of the Executive Committee of the JDSCI and the UGC Board last Monday (12), the statement noted. 

In their statement issued last week the school’s Board of Management has defended the appointment of a new principal for UGC, saying it was the culmination of a year-long process to appoint Mills’ successor, in which the retiring Principal was also involved. 

The statement which was signed by Secretary to the UGC Board Rev. T.H. Vasanthakuma and Secretary to the Diocese, Rev. Dr. D.S. Solomon noted that Suneetha Jebaratnam who was appointed Principal on 6 September was an old girl of Uduvil Girls’ College who had served as a teacher at the school for 30 years and as Vice Principal for eight years.

Clarifying the events leading up to the appointment of a new principal and the retirement of Principal Mills, the Board said that all appointment letters for teaching staff indicate that the age of retirement is 57 years with annual extensions possible up to the age of 60.

Past pupils organisations and students supportive of Mills claim that there is no precedent to retire UGC principals at 60 years, since many of the school’s headmistresses have retired well past the age of 65.

However, the school Board argues that exceptions were made to continue the services of principals beyond the age of 60 during the war, because of the difficulty of finding persons to take over. Even then, the Board says, “the rule was still: retirement at 57 with annual extensions up to 60”. In the present case, the statement said, there was no necessity to make an exception.

At the UGC Board meeting in August 2015, it was noted that three staff members including Mills will retire upon reaching the age of 60 years, the statement said. The Board said Mills had been present at that meeting and two more meetings subsequently at which the process to appoint a new principal was taken up.

“When applications were called for the post of Principal of UGC, it was Mills who displayed it on the school notice board and confirmed same to Bishop Thiagarajah by her letter dated 2 June 2016. Mills also applied to be considered for another extension of service as principal,” the statement by the Board said.

It explained in its statement that the shortlisted candidates were interviewed by a selection panel on 14 and 15 August 2016 and recommended Suneetha Patricia Jebaratnam to be principal. “Thereafter the Executive Committee accepted the said suggestion and appointed Mrs. Jebaratnam as the next principal. “This had been intimated to Mills by letter dated 16 August 2016. Principal-designate was also advised of the aforesaid decision. A letter dated 30 August 2016 was sent to Mrs. Mills detailing handover procedure and consulting her with regard to a date for her farewell,” the statement clarified. (DB)