Ed. unions against unqualified SLEAS officers as school principals
View(s):The Cabinet decision to recruit 4600 Sri Lanka Education Administrative (SLEAS) officers as principals of Government schools without holding competitive exams, has come under heavy criticism from education unions.
A proposal for teachers already serving as acting and performing principals in schools to be considered for the positions was made by the Education Ministry and approved by the Cabinet last week.
The Education Ministry said due to the pandemic situation in the country it was difficult to hold proper examinations and selection interviews for such openings. It said the process would take more than a year, and because these vacancies needed to be filled urgently, it had opted for this measure.
Under this proposal, acting principals who had been in the position for a long time would be considered permanently for the posts.
The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said this would only allow unqualified people to enter the system, while those who rightly deserve the promotions would not be given the opportunities.
If the Government can hold the grade five scholarship exams and the O/L and A/L exams during the pandemic, why was it not possible to hold exams for adults, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin questioned.
He said appointing people to positions without holding structured exams would only violate the SLEAS minute.
“This is a ruse by the Government to appoint their political henchmen through the back door,” Mr. Stalin accused.
He said if the Education Ministry stuck to its decision the education unions would collectively oppose the move and a discussion on the matter would be held on March 9 (Tuesday). Already a Supreme Court case is pending on the previous Government’s attempt to recruit allegedly politically victimised persons to these posts. (CC)