Provincial Governors against O/L qualified Sports Advisers
View(s):The Government’s plan to recruit 3,888 Ordinary Level qualified persons as Sports Advisers has come under severe attack from Provincial Governors, saying that the quality of education in Provincial Schools will be jeopardized, and hence, will not accept those Teachers into their schools.
In a letter dated April 02 , 2019 to the zonal education office has asked for existing vacancies for physical education teachers. The letter requests for the school name and the game that need coaching.
Western Province (WP) Governor Azad Salley said the Teachers will be rejected, if sent to WP Provincial schools, as they also do not have provisions to pay their salaries, if accepted into the schools.
Governor Salley said that he has been talking to the Education Ministry on the matter, and the centre has requested that the new recruits, at least, be allowed to stay on the ‘grounds’. “They have even promised to pay their salaries,” he said. However, he said that he has reservations on accepting the deal. Meanwhile, Uva Province Governor Keerthi Tennakoon said he cannot understand why the Government is recruiting unqualified persons into the Teaching cadre, when there are several Graduates waiting to enter the system.
He said they are not ready to accept such cadres, unless a proper recruiting system is followed. “If the Government insists, then they have to pay the salaries,” he said.
The Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) said that the Government’s action to recruit under-qualified persons into the Teaching profession is in violation of the Teachers Service Minute.
CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said that, generally, Teacher appointments are given to Graduates and Advanced Level qualified persons, who are trained at the Teacher Training Colleges and the National College of Education.
“The very academic structure will be disturbed,” he said. The new recruits will receive their Letters of Appointment on April 29, at a ceremony to be held under the auspices of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees. - CC