The Sri Lankan Ambassador, ASP Liyanage, yesterday clarified that the Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha would not be closed down, ending speculation in the community after a decision taken by the embassy to temporarily freeze bank account of the school. 

He also expressed the desire to continue the activities of the Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha, without any interruption.

“The embassy requested the bank to temporarily freeze the account of Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha, as per instructions given by the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka. Investigations will be conducted based on some complaints received about mishandling of funds of the school. However, we assure that this step taken will not interrupt the functions of the school,” Liyanage told The Peninsula.

He has also issued a statement regarding the situation and affirmed smooth operations of the school. The statement was published on the embassy website and circulated among community members.

“Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha is affiliated to the Sri Lankan embassy in Qatar to function as a community school. However, complaints were received saying that the school was involved in fund raising, misuse of school funds without the knowledge of the embassy, failed to provide facilities to students, non-payment of salaries to teachers and other employees, neglecting the complaints made by parents.

Based on a report received by the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka about the complaints, it has directed the embassy to request the concerned bank to temporarily freeze the account of the school until the investigations are completed,” said the statement.

“However, temporarily freezing the bank account of the school will not affect the school or disturb the lessons,” it added.

The statement also said that Director-General for Legal Affairs at the Foreign Ministry in Sri Lanka was to visit Qatar today to look into the situation raised at the Stafford Sri Lankan School Doha.

The school was inaugurated in October 2001 and since 2011 it has been affiliated to the Sri Lankan embassy and runs as a non-profit organisation. It is being run on a rented premises and has around 1,000 students.

The school follows Edexcel Curriculum. Qatari government had allotted a 10,000 sqm plot in 2014 for the school under the sponsorship of the embassy. However, very few steps have been taken to construct a building.

Source: The Peninsula

-Agencies