Fulfill needs of schools before declaring school education essential service

• President warns that he will declare teachers and principals professions as essential service

By Chathuranga Pradeep Samarawickrama   
While condemning the President’s statement on declaring the services of teachers and principals as essential services, Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) General Secretary Joseph Stalin said that before declaring these services as essential, the essential needs of schools must be fulfilled in the first place.  

He told the Daily Mirror that no essential needs are provided to schoolchildren. The weight of the education of children has fallen on the parents.  
During his visit to the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters in Kandy, President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that necessary steps will be taken to designate the services of teachers and principals as essential.  
Without fulfilling the needs of schoolchildren and providing necessary facilities, blaming the teachers and principals for not teaching schoolchildren is unacceptable.  
He also said that statements like “This situation is only seen in Sinhalese schools,” while praising the commitment of Tamil, Muslim and private schools to continue education, foster racism. He claimed that such remarks are unfair and inappropriate coming from the President.  
“The two-day sick leave campaign was successful even in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, where the majority of the population is Tamil and Muslim.  
“However, we decided to return to work not out of fear of the President or due to the request made by Acting Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana,” Stalin said.  

He told the Daily Mirror that no essential needs are provided to schoolchildren. The weight of the education of children has fallen on the parents.  
During his visit to the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters in Kandy, President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that necessary steps will be taken to designate the services of teachers and principals as essential.  
Without fulfilling the needs of schoolchildren and providing necessary facilities, blaming the teachers and principals for not teaching schoolchildren 
is unacceptable.  
He also said that statements like “This situation is only seen in Sinhalese schools,” while praising the commitment of Tamil, Muslim and private schools to continue education, foster racism. He claimed that such remarks are unfair and inappropriate coming 
from the President.  
“The two-day sick leave campaign was successful even in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, where the majority of the population is Tamil and Muslim.  
“However, we decided to return to work not out of fear of the President or due to the request made by Acting Education Minister Bandula Gunawardana,” 
Stalin said.