Educationists on sick leave campaign tomorrow

Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam should take responsibility of any repercussion caused to the students by the scheduled sick leave protest of educational trade unions tomorrow (4), Professional Solidarity for Protecting Education said yesterday.

Responding to a statement made by the subject minister, it said the educationists were compelled to resort to trade union action due to the minister’s arbitrary decision to permit 1,085 political victimization appointments.

Members of the Sri Lanka Educational Administrative Service Professional Association (SLEASPA), eight teachers’ unions and three school principals’ unions are to go on sick leave tomorrow urging the authorities to halt all appointments made under the recommendations of the Political Victimization Committee.

Addressing a press briefing, SLEASPA Vice President Neil Athukorala said it agrees with Minister Kariyawasam that no one has a right to close down the schools and added that it was not the trade union but the minister’s arbitrary decision which has led to the chaotic situation.

Mr. Athukorala advised the parents of the students’ to decide carefully whether to send their child to school tomorrow as they would be abandoned and unsafe without school teachers and principals.

Meanwhile, Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin said that it had informed the Education Secretary of the pending trade union action. However, he said no action was taken to prevent the action.

“We have all rights to seek trade action for justifiable matters. All this was to safeguard the country’s education. We request all parents to support the effort to ensure quality education for their children in future,” he said.

SLEASPA has a membership of 2, 500 members while the country’s entire teachers’ population stood at around 241,505 including 15,000 school principals.

It was learned that all these education forces were gathered for one reason for the first time in the history and is believed that it would create a very negative impact on the country’s education.

According to Educationists, the minister had sought the approval of the Public Service Commission for 1,085 political victimization appointments which is yet to be granted.