News
Inspection of schools for mosquito breeding sites: Name and shame move extended till end June
View(s):- Teachers’ unions give stinging response
- Health Ministry says move aimed at making principals more socially responsible and mobilising past students and parents of students
By Kasun Warakapitiya
The Health Ministry has decided to revise the list of schools found to be harbouring mosquito breeding sites before it is released to the media in a name-and-shame initiative.
Authorities said that the initial list was based on inspections of schools carried out during the dengue control week (May 19 to 24), but since some time had lapsed since then, they would carry out inspections till the end of June before they name and shame the schools.
National Dengue Control Unit spokesman and Consultant Community Physician Pricilla Samaraweera said, “Therefore, the ministry had decided to renew the list of schools after conducting more inspections in June.”
She said the dengue control unit would compile a list of schools that had failed to remove dengue mosquito breeding places by the end of June, and the list would be handed over to the Health Ministrybefore the names of the schools are released to the public.
The Sunday Times learns that principals and residents who fail to destroy mosquito breeding places could be held accountable under the Mosquito-Borne Diseases Prevention Act and the provincial council statutes on preventing public nuisances.
Health Ministry secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that the purpose of the name and shame initiative was to create a sense of social responsibility among school principals.
He said when the names of schools are revealed publicly, past students and parents of school-going children will know the status, and they will get mobilised to see that dengue breeding sites are gotten rid of.
However, teachers’ unions are not happy with the move to name and shame the schools.
Ceylon Teachers Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin said it was unfair to hold principals accountable for dengue breeding places within schools because it is the duty of health authorities and local government authorities to oversee such matters.
Principals are responsible for school administration matters and ensuring the smooth function of academic activities.
He said although they agree that schools should be free of mosquito breeding sites and be free of dengue, that did not mean that the principals should be held accountable and be solely responsible. Health authorities, local councils, and principals as a collective should be held responsible to ensure a clean environment.
Education Professionals Association President Ven Ulapane Sumangala Thera warned that they would take union action if legal action was taken against any principal.
The Thera pointed out that the principals in remote schools face shortages of labourers and do not have cleaning staff. The thera said it was also unfair to involve students to clean mosquito breeding places, as it could make them vulnerable. Apart from that, cleaning gutters and drains are not activities that students should engage in.
The Thera called for the formation of separate local government bodies to carry out dengue breeding control programmes.
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