Ki'linochchi schools close fearing SLAF attacks

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 January 2008, 18:29 GMT]
Two schools in Ki'linochchi were closed, while three other schools were without pupils Friday as many students chose to stay home near bunkers fearing another SLAF bombing raid. Four Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombs missed hitting Kanakapuram Maha Viththiyaalayam by 100 meters, and 790 schoolchildren and 22 teachers at the school narrowly escaped death. One civilian was killed and seven wounded in the air-strike.



Kankapuram Maha Viththiyaalayam, which has more than 1123 students, will remain closed until Tuesday, its principal said.

Principal of Ki'linochchi Mahaviththiyalayam, Mr. Sritharan said that his school will also be closed until Monday.

Mr Sritharan added that there is no space near the school to construct bunkers for the more than 2200 students attending his school.

Ki'linochchi Central College, Ki'linochchi St. Theresa Girls' College and Ki'linochchi Hindu College were not closed on Friday but student attendance was very poor in these three schools.



Only 213 out of the total 2543 students of Ki'linochchi Central College were present, while only 47 teachers of 68 staff reported for work Friday.

Terror gripped the town Thursday morning as more than 5000 students from the five schools in Ki'linochchi (Central College, Ki'linochchi Maha Viththiyaalayam, Mother Teresa Girls College, Ki'linochchi Hindu College and Kanakapuram Maha Viththiyaalayam) started fleeing to save their lives from the SLAF bombers.



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