CTU calls for mechanism to investigate additional funds being collected to enroll students

The Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) has called for a mechanism to probe into complaints on additional funds being solicited by schools while enrolling students. 

Chairman of the CTU, Joseph Stalin, in a press release said the Union has received several complaints on illicit transactions being involved in the process of enrolling students at national and provincial schools.

He said that this was a violation of the provisions in the circular issued by the Ministry of Education regarding the enrollment of students.

Mr. Stalin pointed out that circulars 2018/24 and 2008/37 which specifies the provisions on enrolling students for grade one, and the enrollment of students from grade two to 11 respectively, categorically state that schools cannot levy any charges except for a facility fee and school development charges.

The release also urged the Education Ministry to immediately set up a mechanism in order to probe such incidents and deliver justice to the parents since the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had refused to carry out investigations in this regard.

Accordingly, the release noted that the CTU had submitted a written request to the secretaries of all provincial education departments and the secretary to the Education Ministry to nominate one official each and form a two-member committee to probe into such claims.