Dec 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka Ministry of Education officials say that the principal positions at nearly one-third of leading national schools of the island are currently vacant.

According to the Ministry 103 national schools island wide don't have a functioning principal. These positions have become vacant as a result of most of the principals retiring.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has set forth several proposals to the Public Service Commission in appointing principals to these national schools.

Currently, the Public Service Commission retains the powers to call interviews for the vacancies of principals in schools. The Ministry of Education conducts the interviews and recommends a principal for the vacancy and Public Service Commission appoints the principal for the position.

However, this system has caused violence in Vidyaloka College in Galle and Vishaka College in Bandarawela since the school community and parents preferred politically backed acting principals over the systematically appointed qualified principals.