COLOMBO, July 27 -- More than 100 national schools across Sri Lanka are operating without permanent principals, creating a serious leadership vacuum that is affecting the education sector, the Sri Lanka Graded Principals' Association (SLPGA) claimed on Monday (27).

Addressing a media briefing in Colombo, SLPGA General Secretary Nimal Mudunkotuwa said the crisis has arisen due to delays and shortcomings in the appointment of principals to national schools.

He said that although a framework had been introduced to appoint officers from the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service (SLEAS) as principals to 396 national schools, many eligible officers had declined to apply for the positions, leaving a large number of schools without permane...