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Teachers warn of further crises if schools are reopened amidst strikes

04 Oct 2021

  • Slam move to consider strikers as having vacated service 
By Buddhika Samaraweera Teachers’ trade unions have warned that if the Education Ministry takes action to reopen schools without providing an acceptable solution to the teacher-principal salary anomaly issue, a major crisis could arise in addition to the current problematic situation in the education sector. During a media briefing held yesterday (4), the media questioned Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union (CTSU) General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe regarding reports that the Education Ministry is planning to reopen schools in a few stages. In response, he said that the Government must take action to address the teachers’ and principals’ issues, particularly the salary anomalies, before reopening schools. He emphasised that the reopening of schools without providing solutions to their issues could lead to more crises. “We have not yet reached a final decision on what action to take if the Education Ministry ignores our demands and reopens schools but there are several actions that we can take. However, what we have to say at the moment is that reopening schools without addressing our issues can lead to many other issues and crises in addition to the existing ones,” he warned. Meanwhile, claiming that the CTSU had learnt that certain Government Ministers had allegedly requested that the teachers and principals involved in the ongoing series of trade union actions be considered as having left the teaching service, Jayasinghe stressed that the issue could not be resolved through such action. “If anyone thinks that this issue can be solved by dismissing nearly 260,000 well-qualified and experienced teachers and principals, it is not practical at all. How are you going to run the school education using people who do not have proper qualifications and experience?,” he queried. Speaking further, Jayasinghe added that the unions are ready to discuss their issues with the authorities at any time, and said that they hope that the matter would be discussed at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting, which was scheduled to be held yesterday evening. Nearly 30 teachers’ and principals’ trade unions have embarked on a number of trade union actions, including withdrawal from all physical and online teaching activities and examination-related duties, demanding a solution to the teacher-principal salary anomaly issue since 12 July 2021. Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena recently told the media that it is hoped to reopen the schools in a few stages, starting from this month. The Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena had also handed over a set of guidelines to the Education Ministry, with regard to the reopening of primary sections of the schools with less than 200 students. Several attempts to contact Gunawardena and Education Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera to inquire into what action they would take if teachers and principals would not report to work after reopening schools, proved futile.


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