Teachers around the country take to the streets

COLOMBO (News 1st) -  Education activities at several schools were hampered today. The teachers and principals of government schools engaged in a trade union action by reporting sick. They launched trade union action to demand: 1. Removal of salary anomalies 2. Payment of salary arrears of 30 months 3. Pension for teachers who received their appointments in 2016. The attendance of students and teachers at several leading schools in Colombo such as Ananda, Nalanda and Royal College was very low. However, our correspondent reported that educational activities in several schools including Rahula, Anula and Sujatha colleges in Matara continued with its normal activities. Several demonstrations were staged by teachers' and principals' unions in the northern province today, in line with the trade union action. Another demonstration was staged opposite the Fort railway station by several teachers unions. Speaking to the media Joseph Stalin - General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers' Services Union said that the budget did not fulfil any of their demands. They had requested Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam to remove all salary anomalies that were created through the BC Perera commission and increase all salaries. The number of paper documents and forms that are to be filled by teachers must also be reduced. The Ceylon Teachers' Services Union also staged a demonstration in Nugegoda today. Mahinda Jayasinghe said that this trade union action was enforced against the attack carried on the principals and teachers who participated in the demonstration that was jointly organized by the teachers' and principals' trade union on the 28th of last month and demand for the preparation of a program to protect the teachers of our country. Meanwhile, the Education Ministry observes that the teachers' and principals' trade unions were being made use of, to gain political mileage. The Education Ministry said it has made arrangements to address these issues, and at this time, certain groups are misleading the teachers and principals.