Tuition classes still not given the green light by the Health Ministry
View(s):More than 500,000 tuition teachers around the country have been hit by the Government’s decision to not allow the conducting of tuition classes, the All Island Professional Lecturers Association said recently.
“We are not requesting permission to conduct mass classes, but group classes with a maximum of ten students,” said All Island Professional Lecturers Association Spokesman Nihal Liyanage.
He said discussions had been held with top Government officials seeking permission to operate classes with a limited number of students.
“A majority of our lecturers are opting for online classes. But we have noticed a drastic reduction of students, mainly from low income backgrounds, attending online classes. Some students in the Ordinary Level and Advanced Level classes do not even own a phone,” he said.
Mr. Liyanage also said the use of technological means such as Zoom was beneficial to students from rural areas because they have the opportunity to learn from the best lecturers based in cities. But the country needs to be more technologically advanced, as some students had said they cannot even afford to purchase a laptop or a smartphone, he added.
“All tuition teachers are not Government school teachers. Some are professionals who have lost their jobs and are totally depending on conducting classes for their income,” Mr. Liyanage said.
Last week, Education Minister G.L. Peiris said the Health Ministry approved the re-opening of schools this month, aside from schools in the Western Province and isolated areas. The Minister also said the Health Ministry did not give permission for tuition classes to operate.
-NF