Frankly I am appalled that any places are RESERVED for Security Forces!

Why should security forces be treated in any special way? If there is a vacancy there is 100 applicants for a vacancy in any of the forces, but for a company that pays Rs40K with O/T there are NO takers here. So why on earth should in addition to this supply and demand inequilibrium should they be favored for places for their kids at Government Schools? NO F….ing WAY!

It was just reported that the Forces are up in arms because the admission to Grade 1 has reduced the intake! The Previous intake for 2015 WAS 7 Places. That is 3 places for Army personnel’s children, two for Police, one each for Navy and Air Force. The new intake for 2016 is 5 for a class of maximum 35 students is as follows: Two for the Army, one each for the Police, Navy and Air Force.

This is pure favoritism to schools in demand. Obviously the problem does not arise for schools that don’t have this shortage of places, but by giving them this option, and as there are ONLY 250 schools where there is a problem in the 10,000 schools in the Country, they make sure they take this allotment that prevents, sometimes, kids from over the fence from the school to get into the school, where as the kid from 100 km away due to this quota comes to this school. BIZARRE and that is another BIZARRE behavioral problem of the current school entry system into “in demand” schools.

We in Sri Lanka seem frightened to criticize the forces, but I simply say, if one lets market forces work their way into the system, and there is so much demand, cut their perks and see how that demand changes if at all. IF NOT then my recommendation makes immense sense.

Don’t forget that 40 buses BUS IN kids from all around Colombo to the Defence Services College right in the heart of Colombo, with facilities exceeding those of most international schools, and it is reserved ONLY for forces kids. So this is IN ADDITION TO THAT BENEFIT.

We must do what is fair by all, and we must not select children of forces for special help, as most of the forces personnel now don’t move their families around when they are sent to different Army camps (Except in senior grades, where children have already left school) Of the families of forces personnel that I know, as the wife is also a professional she lives in the main home with the kids, whilst the husband is transferred from one location to another as part of his postings.

Time to remove as much of the special cases for Grade One entry please!