CP ban on tuition if teacher and student are of the same school; unions hit out
View(s):The ban on government teachers giving tuition to students of schools where they teach will be futile as long as the exam-oriented education system remains, teacher unions said.
Recently, Central Province Governor Lalith Gamage instructed education officials to issue a circular on the prohibition.
Central Province Education Director M.G. Amarasiri Piyadasa told the Education Times that the province’s zonal directors were instructed to find out whether teachers are conducting tuition classes for students of the schools where they teach.
“The main intention is to ensure that all students are treated equally in the classroom. Attending the teacher’s private class will have an impact on how the teacher treats or guides those who attend her or his private classes,” he said.
Mr. Piyadasa said those violating the circular could end up getting a warning initially, and if they continued to disregard the warnings, they might face a transfer.
This prohibition is currently only for teachers in the Central Province.
Ceylon Teachers Union Convener Joseph Stalin said that although they did not approve of government school teachers conducting private classes for students from their schools, the trend would continue due to the competitive exam-oriented education system.
He said this situation was prevalent both in national schools and in provincial schools.
“Despite governments promising to bring in education reforms, what is in operation is still an exam-oriented system. The education system should be skill- and assessment-based,” he said.
Ceylon Teacher Services Association President Dhammika Alahapperuma said many teachers resorted to conducting classes for their school students due to economic hardships.
“They understand that it is not ethically right, but with the economic crisis and salary anomalies, they have no choice. The authorities, before bringing in prohibitions, should address the teachers’ salary anomalies,” he added.
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