A tragic incident involving a 15-year-old girl who jumped to her death from the Lotus Tower, the Education Ministry has initiated a request for clarification from Colombo International School (CIS), where she was a student. Education Ministry Secretary J.M. Thilaka Jayasundare confirmed that a team of officials would be visiting the school to gather information.
He said that the Ministry lacks legal authority over international and private schools, which are registered only under the Companies Act. This limitation hampers the Ministry's ability to take action or enforce regulations. The recent tragedy follows the suicides of two other students from the same school, raising urgent concerns about student welfare and school oversight.
Jayasundare emphasized the pressing need for amendments to the Education Act to empower the Ministry to regulate and monitor these institutions effectively. "At the moment, we do not have a database about these schools," she said.