Tamil medium teachers in short supply in Western province schools: CTU
View(s):There is a severe shortage of Tamil medium teachers in Western province schools, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said last week. Colombo schools alone have around 150 vacancies and 35 vacancies exist in Maharagama schools, 65 in Horana schools, 85 in Kalutara schools and 15 in Homagama schools, CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.
Mr Stalin said the shortage existed because few teachers applied for such vacancies in the Western province. He said although the Western province has a large volume of Tamil speaking people, including Tamils and Muslims, there are not many Tamil language degree holders.
Also the Western province education authorities have shown reluctance to recruit people from the other provinces, for it has been found out that after recruitment most teachers tend to move closer home on transfers.
Mr Stalin said the Education Ministry has to take immediate action to fill in the vacancies due to the large population of Tamil speaking children in the province. He suggested a school based appointment system, stipulating the time frame they need to work within the province before they are entitled for transfers.
This way the teachers will be compelled to serve for longer periods in the Western province before they have a right to request for transfers closer home, he said.
“They will have to work in the Western province for five to ten years,” Mr Stalin said. (CC)