by Hafsa Sabry
The issue at UGC, Jaffna was sorted out with the former principal professionally handing over the duties to her successor. The situation in the school is said to be back to normal as the students and the teachers’ attendance were observed to be normal
The vice principal of the UGC, Jeevanathi Amilathas confirmed that there was an increase in the students’ attendance last week than two weeks ago and that the school activities are back to normal. Approximately 600 students attended school two weeks ago and attendance increased to 900 students last week out of 1100.Therefore, there are no problems in the school activities now, she added.
The former principal of UGC Mrs. Shiranee Mills was alleged to have been forced to retire at the age of 60 by the Bishop and the selection Board of the school, in spite of her expressing willingness to continue to serve as the principal. This resulted in the students striking and public discord among the society. Some students staged hunger strikes with one student fainting and being treated at the local hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The Old Girl’s Associations (OGA) of the UGC had issued a statement in response to the recent crisis and protests in the school which has received wide media publicity.
The members Past Pupils Associations (PPA) of Uduvil Girls College (UGC) based in the UK, Canada and Australia, in a joint statement strongly condemned the recent actions taken by the UGC Board and the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Daniel S. Thiagarajah over the forced retirement of Mrs. Shiranee Mills.
PPA’s position
The PPA claimed that it is a fact that UGC had always benefited from her Principals serving until the age of 70. This obvious past history was completely ignored by the UGC Board and the Bishop. Mrs. Mills was not given any reply to her letter, but the Bishop casually placed an advertisement for a new Principal of UGC on his Facebook page.
The manner, in which the board and the Bishop ignored the principal’s letters, and the contemptuous treatment Mrs. Mills was subjected to, indicates the ill-intent of both the school Board and the Bishop, alleged the OGA of UGC.
The statement further noted that Mrs. Mills has, through her visionary leadership, selfless dedication and tireless hard work, guided the school to numerous lofty achievements and accolades, not only in the field of education but also in sports, performing arts, visual arts and IT during her 12-year tenure as the Principal. The decision to terminate her services abruptly and so early is, evidently, detrimental to the morale of the students and irreparable damage to the ethos of the school. The continuous protest by the parents and students proves it.
As mentioned before, all PPAs from around the world, when we learnt of the moves to replace Mrs. Mills, wrote letters to the UGC Board and the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Daniel S. Thiagarajah, outlining the valid reasons as to why Mrs Mills’ position merits an extension, requesting that Mrs. Mills’ position as a Principal be extended at least for another five years, in order for her to complete the remarkable process of transformation, she has initiated at UGC. These letters were sent out prior to the deadline of accepting new applications for the post of the new Principal. The letters requested a response or acknowledgement from the relevant parties within seven days. Copies of these letters can be provided upon request. As no response was forthcoming to the letters sent in June, the PPA’s sent follow-up letters to the UGC Board and to the Bishop after three weeks of sending the initial letters, to which the OGA, yet again, received no response or acknowledgement.
Mrs. Mills was invited for a discussion by the Bishop and his wife Mrs. Thayalini Thiagarajah on 15 August15. The next day she was informed that her application was rejected and she had to handover her responsibilities and leaves the school by 6 September sixth, one day before she turned 60.
On August 30, a formal announcement was placed on the JDCSI website, informing the appointment of Mrs. Suneetha Jebaratnam as the new Principal of UGC. However, there was no mention of Mrs. Mill’s termination.
Acts of totalitarianism
These acts of totalitarianism by the leadership of The Church of South India, in cohort with the local politicians, should be exposed. This situation must be strongly condemned and immediately redressed by the persons in authority. We strongly affirm that Mrs. Shiranee Mills should not have been forced to retire from her position as a Principal.
However, the forced retirement was alleged to have been politically motivated but the former principal of the UGC Mrs. Shiranee Mills claims there is no political motive but, the school wanted someone else as the principal and they decided on it to which they have a right to.
Mrs. Shiranee Mills also said that she was not interested in serving as a principal after her retirement age of 60 but with the continuous pressure by the Bishop to re-apply for the principal post she wrote a letter expressing her willingness to serve the school as a principal.
“I was not interested in extending my service time but since the School Board persuaded me to reapply I wrote the letter but clueless of why I was sent a letter of retirement the next day of the interview” she added.
Mrs. Mills also claimed that she was ready to leave the school after having received the retirement letter in the expectation that farewell celebrations would be held on the last day she leaves, but since the management postponed the re-opening of the school from September sixth to September eighth, disappointed by the move of the management the students and the parents staged protests.
Mrs. Mills further stated that the students should have been disappointed as it was the third term and more celebrations were expected in the school in December on Christmas. “I work with them very closely and they are reluctant about me leaving the school, but now everything seems to be back to normal,” she added.
However, it is still a mystery why the Bishop who persuaded the former principal to write a letter of willingness to the board and rejected her application for the post