Student attendance important not tabs : CTU

The Ceylon Teacher's Union (CTU) has pointed out that the government must focus on preparing a plan to bring back students to school, instead of planning to issue tabs to students.

"What is important at this moment is to establish a plan that would dispel the fears of the parents of some 4.3 million students, with regard to sending them to school," CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.

He pointed out that a very poor turnout of students had been recorded over the last four days after schools re-opened for its second terms on May 06. Mr Stalin further added that the Education Minister has failed to build trust in the minds of the parents, Mr. Stalin said.

Amidst this backdrop, the CTU noted that a cabinet proposal had been approved this week to purchase 183,000 tablet PC's at a cost of Rs 3.5 billion. This is apart from recruting 3888 sports instructors who were required to obtain six passes in their G.C.E. Ordinary Level examinations and obtain a mininum third place at the district athletic meets, the Union observed.

Accordingly, the CTU called on the government to provide an assurance to the parents on the country's security instead of various members of the government making contrasting remarks in this regard.