CTU: Government should bring back stranded scholarship students free of charge
View(s):The Government is over charging overseas students for air tickets, to bring them back from countries they were trapped in due to the pandemic situation. But a spokesperson for SriLankan Airlines said they were compelled to charge higher amounts due to increased cost, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said last week.
CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said parents had been asked to pay Rs 58,650 for a one way ticket from India.
“A return ticket costs around Rs 45,000,” Mr Stalin said.
“Parents are undergoing difficulties to find the money,” he added.
“The children were sent on scholarships by the Government and it is the Government’s responsibility to bring them back free of charge,” Mr Stalin said.
The SriLankan Airlines official said the tickets were issued during normal circumstances, and in the current situation they were compelled to pay increased charges, including airport charges.
Besides the flights were considered charter flights as they were operating outside the schedule, he added.
The University Grants Commission had given around 580 scholarship to students to study in India. There were many other students with scholarships studying in Nepal, India and Pakistan, all waiting to come home.
Last week the airline brought back 101 students from India and 113 students from Pakistan.
The Government had promised to bring back all stranded students.
Accordingly, the focus will be repatriation of students from SAARC countries first, and then other countries.
Students in Australia, Malaysia and Singapore are also awaiting their turn to come back home. (CC)