Schools reopening ... a failure -- schools recording thousands of students in Colombo ... less than 100

Schools reopening ... a failure -- schools recording thousands of students in Colombo ... less than 100

Though the second term in schools started today (6), a large majority of students in the island has been less than a hundred, it was reported. School principles reported that in most schools such as Royal College recorded an attendance of 30%, Ananda College 58, Nalanda 50, Visakha 37 and Devi Balika 37. Attendance of school principals however exceeded 80%, it was reported and as the presence of students had declined to a large degree, it was reported that no educational activity or extra-curricular activity took place. Though
second term was limited to grade six and above, teachers of grade one upto grade five had reported to to work yesterday, it was understood. 

The percentage of attendance of students of schools in Maharagama education division was about 2.14%; but attendance of teachers were normal as before. Though between three thousand and four thousand students of leading schools in Kandy district was expected in schools, only one percent of students had turned up at school, it is reported. Though attendance of students in Badulla district was between five and six per cent, the presence of teachers were as normal, reporters said. 

Educational director of Southern province, Mr. Nimal Dissanayaka said that attendance of students in Southern schools had dropped to about 4 per cent. Students of the educational zone belonging to Puttalam was approximately ten per cent while attendance of students of schools in Ratnapura district had dropped to twenty per cent. However, the attendance of teachers was exemplary, principals quipped. In the meantime, though school children were not present in most schools in the island, it was reported that parents of those children took a hand by co-operating in cleaning activities in school, it was reported.