TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS STRIKE A SUCCESS: CTU

The 24-hour countrywide token strike launched by Teachers and Principals last morning was a resounding success, Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.

He said the teachers and Principals were on sick leave yesterday and the token strike was in force at 10,162 schools countrywide. “241,000 teachers and 15,000 Principals participated in the strike. All the schools in the Western Province were closed. A few students were present at some schools though,” Mr. Stalin said.

Meanwhile, Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union General Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe also said the strike was successful. “All national schools in the country came to a standstill. Protests and demonstrations were organised covering all the districts,” he said.

The Principal Service Union President Sunil Premathilake said the principals all over the country were on sick leave. “Main schools including, all national schools were closed countrywide,” he said.

Collective Unions also said the 24-hour token strike would deteriorate to a trade union action if the Government failed to provide a favourable response.

Seventeen trade unions including the CTU joined the token strike last morning demanding a salary increase, rectification of salary anomalies, and to release teachers and Principals from paperwork. They also demanded 6% of the GDP be allocated to education.

Additional reporting Athula Bandara, Nayanajeewa Bandara, Prasad Rukmal, Wasantha Chandrapala, Ajithlal Shanthaudaya, Shantha Chandrasena, Ranjith Rajapaksa, Lalith Navarathne, Indika Aruna Kumara and Thilakaratne Dissanayake.