CTU condemns attack on Development Officers

• Development Officers staged a protest requesting the government to absorb the Development Officers to the teacher service
• They came under police assault and four of them were arrested

By. B. G. Chaturanga   

The Ceylon Teachers’ Union has condemned the attack on the protest of the Development Officers on Monday in front of the Ministry of Education.   

President of the union Priyantha Fernando told the media yesterday in Anuradhapura the government that promised to absorb the Development Officers to the teacher service under the procedure applicable to the recruitment of teachers has violated that promise and attacked the Development Officers.   

 “Development Officers staged a protest requesting the government to absorb the Development Officers to the teacher service. They came under police assault and four of them were arrested. As a trade union we condemn this attack on the peaceful protest. It is a matter of serious concern that the leaders who promised to absorb all Development Officers to the teacher service has violated that promise. The Ceylon Teachers’ Union’s stance was that the Development Officers should be appointed as teachers under the normal procedure on the result of an examination.”   

“The upper age limit for appointment of Development Officers as teachers has been advanced to 40 years. The court order is to implement it on the approval of the Cabinet and the Public Service Commission” he said.

 He further said that vacancies exist in government schools for 30,000 teachers and that steps should be taken to fill these vacancies.