Sri Lanka, May 27 -- A controversy has erupted over alleged fund and donation collections at Thurstan College, Colombo, with a parents' union claiming the school has been requesting dry rations and school supplies from parents despite the government's stance that schools have no legal authority to collect money.

According to the parents' association, the school principal recently convened a meeting and urged parents of students from Grades 1 to 13 to contribute dry rations and school essentials for nearly 600 students in 10 schools on Delft Island, also known as Neduntheevu.

Parents alleged that, according to claims made by the principal, the initiative was linked to a Health Promotion Programme scheduled to be held from June 2 to 4 un...