Education Unions threaten strike against promotions to SLEAS
View(s):The Ceylon Teachers Unions (CTU) last week said they to plan strike, in protest against the impending promotion of over 1,050 unqualified persons to the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service (SLEAS). The CTU, the Sri Lanka Education Service Union (SLESU) and the Principal Service Union (PSU) claimed, the candidates recommended do not qualify for promotions as SLEAS officers, as they have not sat for the exams stipulated in the SLEAS Service Minute.
CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the Government has made provision for officers to apply for promotion under “Political Victimisation”, which is being misused by several applicants. He said that several names in the list are on the recommendations of politicians.
Accordingly, 250 SLEAS officers and 800 candidates from the PSU and the SLESU have been recommended for promotions.
Mr Stalin said the candidates have stated flimsy reasons such as their roofs being damaged by Opposition politicians.
“This is wrong and we ask the Ministry of Education to immediately withdraw the list submitted for approval,” he said.
Mr Stalin said that 95% of the Teachers and Principals had gone on ‘Sick Leave’ on Wednesday (23), protesting the injustice caused to those qualified for the posts, adding that, if the Government continues to ignore the demand, the Unions will join for a major strike, which will affect the Education programme in schools. - CC