Sinful elements who set fire to school tin-roofing ....

Sinful elements who set fire to school tin-roofing ....

where 98 small children were studying

The news that a tinned-roofing of a poverty-stricken school-building being set on fire during night-time could be considered a trifle matter. But a number of small children akin to flower buds who were perplexed in not being able to locate the usual desks and chairs where they used to sit had to return home with tears in their eyes,

and what a heart-rending scene it would have been!

A temporary erected classroom building thatched with a tin-roof and covered with plastic or wax-sheets of Badulla Kandaketiya Kandakepuulpotha Primary School had been set on fire by some unknown person in the early morning hours day-before-yesterday and as a result desks, chairs, cupboards as well as books and reports of the students that had been stored there were all reduced to ashes. What the Principal said was that because of the lack of the existing shortage for buildings this structure with a tin-roofing and plastic covering had been patched up in this building and which too has been so constructed with the contribution of the parents. 98 students of grade 3 had been studying there. 

Because of this tragedy which has taken place early dawn the students who were struck by this shock were rendered helpless. Since the cupboards in the classroom were broken open and the class record books, teachers' handbooks, children's books and question papers of students were all stacked together and set on fire, the police suspect that it is the work of some element who had committed the act on purpose. A suspicion has emerged that it could be a base act of some parent who had entertained some grudge against teachers of this class. The person responsible for this crime has still not been located. Badulla Police are conducting investigations.

(Information -- Sulaksha Piyatissa, Badulla)