More than 90% of schools across the island remained closed yesterday (15) due to the strike launched by principals and teachers, which the trade unions said saw the participation of approximately 95% of 16,000 principals and 200,000 teachers.
Principals and teachers of schools islandwide had decided to launch a strike yesterday, demanding solutions to issues faced by the people in general, and those pertaining to principals and teachers.
When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday, Ceylon Principals’ Union (CPU) President Piyasiri Fernando said: “The strike launched by us was 100% successful. The principals, teachers, and even non-academic staff members supported it. Out of about 16,000 principals and 200,000 teachers, 95% participated in the strike in more than 200 protests that were held. Due to the strike, more than 90% of schools across the country had to be kept closed.”
Although the principals and teachers did not want to disrupt the education of children, he said that they had no other option but to launch a strike as he claimed the Government does not heed any of their demands which have been made on a number of occasions. He also said that the principals and teachers would report to work from today (16), but that they are ready to initiate appropriate trade union action at any moment if the Government continues to ignore their demands.
Due to the strike launched by principals and teachers, the activities pertaining to the final term tests related to last year (2022), which are currently being held, had also been affected. Provincial Education Departments of the Wayamba, Western, and Central Provinces had instructed school authorities to postpone the respective term exams which were scheduled to be held yesterday.
The demands of principals and teachers regarding which they launched the strike include the complete resolution of the teachers’-principals’ salary anomalies, the provision of an allowance of Rs. 20,000 until the salary anomalies are resolved, the provision of sufficient financial allocations to maintain schools, and the reduction of the cost of living and the prices of stationery and school items needed by schoolchildren.