Prefectships on sale at Royal College

Most educated citizens in Sri Lanka, elite of society and certainly the older generation who were Old Boys of Royal College, would never have expected to read the Letter to the Editor which came up on the esteemed paper Daily FT on Monday 9 September (see https://www.ft.lk/news/Prefectships-for-sale-at-Royal-College/56-766265).

Although despicable practice appears to have been going on for some time thanks to the “irate parent”, who authored this Letter to the Editor of FT, it has never come up to a point deserving to be published directly or indirectly discrediting students Prefects or otherwise, parents of Royal College students, those aspiring to send their children to Royal College, teachers and the administration including past and present principals.

Whatever it is, even though the revelation may be considered belated, timely action has to be taken by the authorities concerned to throttle this type of activity at whatever cost.

We know that it can be only a fraction of a percentage of the renowned Royal College educated Sri Lankan citizens who have been lucky to secure high employment prospects in the public sector or private sector. But whether or not one is a past student at Royal College, no one would condone this type of corruption. 

Therefore, not only would it be necessary to prevent such an action from happening at Royal College, but more so it is necessary to prevent it spreading into other schools, international colleges, national or other schools at all levels.  

Lalith Hettiarachchi