Teachers readying for countrywide showdown

By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon

Teachers across the country would resort to trade union action after the commencement of the next school term, Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary, Joseph Stalin told The Island yesterday (26)

Stalin said that they were demanding a 20,000-rupee salary hike for teachers and principals and an end to the curtailment of state expenditure on education.Stalin said that most schools now depend on parents chipping in with money and labour for conducting educational and extracurricular activities.

“This is true from rural schools to the so-called popular schools. In rural schools this has placed parents under great financial stress and in more affluent schools this has given certain moneyed elements the chance to influence key decisions taken in schools,” he said.

Stalin said that the school development societies now pay electricity bills and this too is a significant economic stress on parents.

The government has also paid no heed to their demand for a 20,000 rupee salary increase, he noted.

“The government had undermined the state education system. Crucial exams are delayed and children are now burdened with a huge work load. Everyone is under stress. We have also started discussions with parents and we are also getting them on the road to demand a better education for children and a better pay for educators,” he said.