I am a A/L student in Negombo. It was my personal experience when one of my cousins had to seek admission to a popular school in Negombo.His family happened to face severe problems despite the fact that father possesses the membership of the past pupils’ association of the college. He always dreamt about sending his child to that school. But unfortunatly it did not happen. This was merely because of money.

My cousin said that he was even ready to give Rs. 100,000 to the school but they did not accept. My cousin tried his level best. I regret to mention, being a Catholic he was unable to seek admission to his child even to a Catholic school.

And then he tried another school. That school was also a Catholic school. My cousin first agreed to pay three fourth of that above amount to the school after having a chat with the principal. But they had wanted more. So finally I think my cousin needed to pay about Rs. 90,000 to admit his child to that school.

Fortunatly my cousin was able to admit his son to that school. While there was no response after applying to the second school he again tried that earlier school after obtaining a letter from the Catholic priest.

At the entrance seeing my cousin, principal said abruptly “How many times have I told you, please go away, go away” and he returned home with a glooming face.

My cousin could not do anything because it was beyond his control. Frist school had said to him to put the child into another school until grade two and then they would take the child after completion of a period of a year in another school. My cousin and his wife were not ready to do it because they needed a lot of money for both the schools.

Sometimes I’m really disappointed when concerning this topsy-turvy system. Everything is commercialised. Every person wants to admit his or her child to a good school. But how many of them achieve the target? Everything is money oriented. Money has become “God” even in Catholic schools.

People are on a rat race. Everyone wants to be the first. Every parent likes to see her or his daughter or son in a good position. Because that is the only dream of every parent. Unfortunately they fail in achieving this goal. Today most people do not like to see others strieving to high positions. They try their best to block others’ progress.

Further more, people are compelled indirectly to rub shoulders with high class people. If you want to be a high class person you should at least have a car. I am not looking down upon people who have cars.

Additionally, on my point of view there must not be rankings in the society. People have started to treat people in different ways. However people also want people who have wealth.

That is what has happened. Human beings have become money conscious. The above incident of my cousin proves that in future in our time we may have to pay big sums of money to admit our offsprings to school. It is so regretful that ordinary person has no chace to climb up his ladder.

We know that if a student wishes to go to a certain school he or she must live within three kilometres. But the fact is, ample examples are available for researchers to find out that majority of students are miles away from the relevent schools, cancelling all law and order of the education system. A few days earlier I came across a news which was popular among people. That is, some parent has tried to pull strings.

To some extent it is not wrong. Because what parents want is a good education to their children. But unfortunately some parents get caught. And today some principals are the worst in the school system. Because of the way they treat some parents considering their rank in the society.

Presently, specially schools seek reinforcements by label donations. This has also become a major fact. So parents get reluctant to put to that school because they are unable to afford it. So finally I would like to say that these things must be altered.

And there must be a proper way to admit children to schools in a fair manner. Law must be equal to rich and poor.

Sampath Jayakody  

Source:http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/09/12/fea02.asp