Twenty five year old Prasadi Purnima Jayamanne is the youngest in a family of four.As she displayed early signs of academic brilliance her parents were keen to give her every opportunity to further her studies. After attending the village primary school at Pambala Chilaw she moved on to Sugathananda Secondary school in  Karukkuwa  where she passed her GCE O/L examination with four credits and a Distinction for English.She then moved on to Senanayake National School in Madampe for her Advanced Level examination which she passed but failed to gain admission to university.

She passed the entrance examination to enter the college of education in 2004 and passed out with a merit pass at the finals specializing as an English teacher. At present she is registered as an external student at Sri Jayawardenepura University and hopes to sit for her GAQ examination this year.

When she passed out of the teachers training college the Ministry of Education held interviews for Merit Pass holders to be appointed to national schools. All other English diploma holders who passed out with her were fortunate to receive appointments to schools within the Puttlam district. Prasadi Purnima was appointed to a Piyawara School-Anura Vidyalaya in the Kebithigollawa Educational zone. While all her batch mates found schools they could travel to from their homes Prasadi Purnima is 200 kilometers away from her home. What she does not comprehendis that when those who did not even obtain merit passes were given schools near their homes she was appointed to a school in the NCP. “I thought that on my performance at the finals and the general assumption that those who obtained merit passes would be given national schools I will get an appointment within the district so that Icould be near my aging parents and also be able to look after the child of My brother whose wife passed away about two years ago. As I had faith in the system and also because I hardly knew any persons of influence I never attempted to canvass for a school within the district.”

This bright young lass now has to spend Rs.3000 per month for her board and lodging in Padawiya and also has to travel to Colombo every week end for her classes for her external degree course. At present there are 169 vacancies for English teachers in the Puttalam district. Prasadi Purnima is bitterly disappointed about her plight. Yet she says “ I would like to be in a school closer to my home so that I can devote more time for my studies and also manage with my salary of Rs.14000 per month. The best solution will be if I could be relocated  while also providing a substitute English teacher for this school as there are English teachers who could be appointed to this school if the accepted procedure is followed. I have come to love these children who are eager to learn English and they should not be left in the lurch”. Influence peddling is a malaise that has engulfed the administration of the ministry of education specifically in the appointments and transfers of teachers said a high official of the Ministry when asked by GV to comment on the case of Prasadi Purnima.