Budget 2021: Teachers to stage silent protest over salaray anomalies
View(s):All teacher unions have collectively decided to stage a protest in front of Parliament next week, demanding that the authorities rectify their salary anomalies. They announced this decision at a press conference on Thursday.
The Ceylon Teachers union (CTU) said all teachers unions will conduct a silent protest along the Parliament road to express disappointment in the 2021 education budget allocation being presented in Parliament on Wednesday (December 01).
CTU Secretary Joseph Stalin said despite repeated promises to look into the teachers’ salary anomalies in the budget nothing had been mentioned.
“Despite repeated assurances given by ministers Dallas Alahapperuma and Prof. G. L. Peiris that their demands will be included in the 2020 budget, nothing has been done,” he said.
“Also the Government had slashed Rs. 41 billion for education from last year allocation in 2019 budget,” he added.
Mr Stalin said, instead of allocating a higher amount to uplift the fallen education in schools due to COVID-19 pandemic it has brought down the amount to Rs 126 billion.
He said Rs. 167 billion was allocated for schools last year. The education sector had been lobbying for a six percent GDP allocation for several years. With nothing coming forth in the budget he said there was no alternative but for teachers to go on a major protest demanding their dues.
(CC)