Move to recruit retired Tamil teachers opposed

The Education Ministry’s decision to recruit retired teachers to fill vacancies in Tamil schools has come under criticism by Education Unions. The Ceylon Teachers Union ( CTU) said that the move to employ retired teachers will only affect the quality of education provided to children.

CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said that the government’s claim that, except in the North and East, there is a dearth of Tamil teachers and that they are not willing to serve in other parts of the country shows the Government’s inability to run the education system efficiently. He said the problem arises because of the lack of proper policy in the recruitment and transfer of teachers.

"This is no answer. This is a violation of the fundamental rights of children to have a proper education system," he said.

Last week Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam had suggested retired teachers and those with Advanced Level qualifications be recruited to circumvent the shortage of Tamil teachers in provincial schools. (CC)