Two dates announced for reopening WP schools
View(s):The Education Ministry’s random announcements about the date of schools reopening in the Western Province is spreading fear in the minds of parents, who are anxious about the possibility of their children contracting the COVID-19 infection in classrooms, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said recently.
The CTU said the Education Ministry had announced two dates for schools reopening in the Western Province, within 24 hours last week.
First it was announced that schools would reopen on February 15 and the next day it was announced that the schools would reopen on March 15.
“This does not go well with the education authorities,” CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.
He said the decision was taken by Education Minister G. L. Peiris after recently visiting Nalanda College and Devi Balika Vidyalaya in Colombo.
“These two schools do not vouch for all 492 schools in the Western Province,” Mr Stalin said.
Mr. Stalin attributed the situation to the Government’s failure to consult relevant stakeholders.
“The unions representing teachers and principals were not included in the decision making,” he said.
Last week, the Government said all schools, except for 82 Western Province schools, would reopen on February 15. They later changed the date to March 15. (CC)