Allegations against a school principal in Medirigiriya — including claims that she misappropriated funds allocated for student meals to host her husband’s birthday celebration — have been substantiated, Northern Central Province Chief Secretary Ranjana Jayasinghe said.

Lankadeepa reported that the principal, attached to a primary school in the area, was accused of diverting money from the Government’s school meal programme in December 2022. According to complaints, she failed to provide meals to students and instead used the funds to organise a birthday party for her husband on 5 December that year.

Parents and members of the School Development Society had lodged written complaints with zonal and provincial education authorities, triggering an investigation. During inquiries, it was revealed that the school had instructed parents to send food from home while falsifying voucher documentation to claim that meals were provided.

Complaints further alleged that the misappropriated funds were used to procure kiribath, kokis, cutlets, and roasted chickpeas from the school’s usual meal supplier for the private celebration.

Chief Secretary Jayasinghe stated that during the course of the inquiry, the principal had also qualified for appointment as an administrative officer after passing the Education Administrative Examination. However, the appointment has since been suspended due to the misconduct findings.