Absorbing Provincial schools into National schools counterproductive: CTU
View(s):The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU), last week, said that Government moves to absorb Provincial schools in the North and East, into the National school system, is contradictory to the Ministry of Education (MoE) policy that the ‘Nearest School is the Best School.
CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the MoE is planning on bringing six Provincials schools in the Eastern Province and 14 schools in the Northern Province under its wing. This, he said, does not serve any purpose, but only signals to the public that National schools are better than Provincial schools.
There are 10,162 government schools in the country, of which 353 schools are run by the line ministry, while the rest are under the Provinces. The move, he said, will result in parents having second thoughts about sending their children to Provincial schools.
He said the need of the hour is to upgrade Provincial schools with efficient teachers while developing its infrastructure and facilities. “This will help schools to give the best Education to children,” Mr Stalin said.
“In the absence of Provincial Councils, we see this as a political move by the Government to show that work is being done in the Education sector,” he said.
- CC