The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has called for reports from the Bambalapitiya and Kotahena Police Stations following the death of a 16-year-old schoolgirl, who allegedly died by suicide after being sexually abused by a teacher.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the NCPA acknowledged the widespread public concern surrounding the case and noted that many incidents of abuse often go unreported due to fears of damaging a school’s reputation or discouraging victims from speaking out.

To address these issues, the NCPA has informed the Education Ministry Secretary and Provincial Directors of Education of the legal and procedural responsibilities in handling such cases. The guidelines include:

1.⁠ ⁠Immediate reporting of any child abuse case to the NCPA via its 1929 hotline, email, or postal mail, with instructions for all schools to comply.
2.⁠ ⁠Disciplinary action must be initiated against any principal or teacher accused of child abuse. They must be removed from duties involving children until the court delivers a verdict.
3.⁠ ⁠Internal investigations must be conducted in a manner that prevents further trauma to the affected child.
4.⁠ ⁠Victimised children must not be removed from school, influenced, labelled, or isolated during or after disciplinary action against alleged perpetrators.

The 16-year-old girl had died by suicide in Kotahena recently, after which her parents alleged that her death was linked to her being sexually abused by a male teacher at the school and also being humiliated at a private tuition institute in front of fellow students over the incident.

A protest was held in front of the school yesterday, seeking justice for the 16-year-old girl. The protesters called for the immediate suspension and arrest of the accused male school teacher, while they also shared displeasure over the school principal, whom they have accused of having shielded the perpetrator. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs states that the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), under its purview, has launched a probe into the death of a schoolgirl in Kotahena recently over allegations of sexual abuse. 

A 16-year-old girl had recently died by suicide, with her parents claiming that her death was linked to the child being sexually abused by a male teacher at her former school in Bambalapitiya and for being humiliated at a private tuition institute in front of fellow students.

Addressing the incident, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs said that investigations conducted by the NCPA had found that the parents had filed a complaint with the Bambalapitiya Police on 08 December 2024, accusing the child’s maths teacher at the former school of having sexually abused her. 

The Bambalapitiya Police had arrested the teacher and produced him in court, after which he was released on a surety, while an overseas travel ban has also been imposed on him.

The ministry further said that based on these facts, the NCPA and the Police Children & Women Bureau have launched a probe into the matter.

As the parents are yet to file a complaint with the NCPA in this regard, the NCPA has summoned them to record statements today. 

The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs said it has also written to the Education Ministry Secretary inquiring about the measures that are to be taken against the accused teacher, as he is attached to a state school which falls under the purview of the Education Ministry. 

The ministry added that several investigations are underway by various entities into the incident. (Newswire)

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Retracting its previous news report claiming that five members of the under-19 Rugby Team of a Colombo School were arrested over an incident of sexual abuse, the state newspaper, Dinamina, today published a correction report stating that only an inquiry was underway.

The Dinamina newspaper reported this week that the students had been arrested by the Special Police Investigation Unit of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) based on a complaint filed by the affected 15-year-old victim. 

The report further said that the boy had been sexually abused by his fellow teammates during a sports camp in the North between 12- 24 April and that five members of the Rugby team, including the captain and vice captain, had been arrested. 

However, in a correction report published today, the Dinamina newspaper said that the National Child Protection Authority has clarified that the students had not been arrested, as previously reported.

The news report said that the NCPA informed that following investigations conducted by its Special Police Investigation Unit, the students had been summoned to record statements over the incident.

The NCPA further said that its Special Police Investigation Unit had presented facts before the court and is continuing investigations into the accused group. (Newswire)

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Six members of the Under-19 Rugby team of a Colombo school, including the captain and vice captain, have been arrested over the alleged sexual abuse of a fellow team member, it was reported. 

According to the state newspaper, Dinamina, the group was arrested by the Special Police Investigation Unit of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA). 

The group is accused of having sexually abused a 15-year-old boy between 12-24 April during a sports camp in the North. 

An investigation had been launched into the incident following a complaint filed at the NCPA. 

The investigations had led to the arrest of the under-19 Rugby team members. (Newswire)

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The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has initiated legal action against a tuition teacher accused of assaulting students.

According to the NCPA, the tuition teacher had failed to comply with a summons issued related to a video widely circulated on social media about the incident. 

The video shows the tuition teacher using corporal punishment on his students, as well as instructing a female student to hit a male student with a cane.

When inquired in this regard from Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa, he said the National Child Protection Authority has initiated action against the tuition teacher. (Newswire)

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The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) states that 321 complaints were received in 2024 regarding incidents of severe sexual abuse of children.

According to the NCPA, 580 complaints regarding incidents of sexual assault were received between January 1 and December 31, 2024.

During this period, the NCPA received 8746 complaints related to children, while the highest number of complaints, 2746, were related to child protection issues.

The NCPA has also received 1,950 complaints concerning child abuse, 229 complaints regarding the use of children as beggars, 42 complaints concerning child sexual abuse, and 25 complaints related to the use of children for sexual acts.

Additionally, 14 complaints were received about child marriages, and 151 complaints were made regarding threats of releasing explicit photographs of children online.

In 2024, a total of 18 complaints were received concerning suicide attempts, and 120 complaints were reported related to drug abuse.

The NCPA further received 53 complaints about adolescent pregnancies and 39 complaints regarding children without birth certificates. (Newswire)

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Nearly 10,000 complaints of child abuse have been received by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) in 2023, it was reported.

Chairman of the NCPA Udayakumara Amarasinghe said that 9,434 complaints were received from January 01 to December 31 last year. 

He further revealed that 2,242 complaints were received on child abuse, 472 complaints on sexual harassment, 404 complaints on serious sexual abuse, 51 complaints on rape of girls, and 06 complaints on indecent posts involving the use of children.

Complaints were also received regarding the use of children for the transportation of narcotics, the use of children for labour, victims of domestic violence, disregard of responsibilities, abduction, causing injury to children, trafficking children, and failure to educate children, he said.

The NCPA Chairman added that the complaints of child abuse received in 2023 were higher than those received in 2022, which was 7,466. (NewsWire)

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Over 5,000 complaints related to child abuse have been filed within the first 07 months of this year in Sri Lanka, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) reported.

According to the Chairman of the NCPA, Senior Lecturer Udayakumara Amarasinghe, a total of 5,456 complaints have been received during the period from January 01 – July 31. 

A total of 1,296 complaints have been filed related to child cruelty, 163 complaints related to causing severe injuries, and 242 complaints related to serious sexual abuse.

The NCPA has received 110 complaints pertaining to Social media and cyberspace bullying. Out of the complaints, 76 are related to female children and 31 are connected to male children.

The NCPA further said that 196 complaints have been filed related to forcing children to beg, with the highest number of complaints being received from the Colombo District and Urban suburbs.

Senior Lecturer Udayakumara Amarasinghe added that relevant Police stations have already been informed to conduct investigations into the complaints. (NewsWire)

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The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has proposed to establish special infant receiving centres at hospitals in all nine provinces, it was reported.

According to Daily Mirror, NCPA Chairman Udayakumara Amarasinghe said the proposed infant receiving centres will allow parents to hand over their infants without revealing their identity.

Addressing the media yesterday (13), Amarasinghe stated that the proposal pertaining to the infant receiving centres was drafted by the NCPA in 2021 in order to assist parents who are unable to bring up their newborns due to various reasons. 

Stating that the proposal was submitted to the Cabinet in 2021, Amarasinghe stated that, however, the Cabinet Office had pointed out that the proposal must be presented through the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.

NCPA Chairman Udayakumara Amarasinghe pointed out that such infant-receiving centres were popular in India, adding that it was necessary to establish such centres with the recent increase in the abandonment of infants in Sri Lanka. (NewsWire)

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