CTU challenges govt.decision to increase classroom numbers
View(s):The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said last week the government’s move to increase the number of students in class rooms in popular national schools goes against the supreme court decision to curtail the numbers to 35 students in classrooms.
The CTU said it could also result in the closure of several schools.
CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the lack of a national policy for Grade One admission has created a crisis, with popular schools being in demand and provincial and rural schools being ignored by parents.
Out of 10,162 schools in the country 387 are national schools, but only 36 national schools are popular and sought after by parents.
This results in these schools receiving a volume of applications much more than the numbers of students that can be accommodated, Mr Stalin said.
The National Education Commission proposal to have primary schools from Grade One to Grade Five admission has also not been implemented.
Following a supreme court decision, in 2014 the Cabinet decided to reduce the number of students in a classroom to 35. In 2015, the then Education Secretary Upali Marasinghe issued a circular to this effect.
However without reducing the numbers immediately, the Education Ministry decided to streamline the reduction gradually, starting from 2016 with the aim of reaching the target by 2021, Mr Stalin said.
He said the current government decision to increase the number to 40 students will jeopardise the process.
“This will affect the teachers and students in a classroom, with teachers unable to manage classrooms and students not getting the required attention from teachers.”
In 2019, following the last government attempt to increase the number of students in popular schools the Royal College Union challenged the government in the Supreme Court.
In October 14, 2019 the Supreme Court stood by its decision and said all class rooms should have a maximum number of 35 students.
Mr Stalin said the current government should adhere to the court order and investigate schools which ignore the Supreme Court orders.
“Some schools abide by the order for Grade One classes, but increase the numbers in Grade Two classrooms. International standards require a classroom to have a maximum of 35 students,” he said.