Last week the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said it is making preparations to file legal action against the Education Ministry for its decision to increase the intake of grade one students for each classroom. The Education Times learned that the Education Ministry has decided to increase student numbers in each classroom to 40 students, in [...]

Education

CTU to file action against Ed. Ministry

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Last week the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) said it is making preparations to file legal action against the Education Ministry for its decision to increase the intake of grade one students for each classroom.

The Education Times learned that the Education Ministry has decided to increase student numbers in each classroom to 40 students, in 2022.

A Ministry official said the five extra slots will be for children of tri-force and Police personnel.

CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin said this will be in violation of Supreme Court order no. SCFR232/2011 in 2011 to limit student numbers in each classroom to 35.

The directive was granted following a court case filed against popular national schools that had overcrowded classrooms with 40 to 50 students.

The Education Ministry had agreed to comply with the court order by gradually decreasing the numbers in classrooms within a five year period from 2016 to 2020.

Accordingly the student numbers in classrooms was 35 last year (2020), a fact taken pride of by the Education Ministry.

However once again the Education Ministry has announced an increase in student numbers, which the unions argue will be detrimental to disseminate education effectively in classrooms.

Overcrowded classrooms can be overwhelming to teachers and discriminative to weak children who will miss out on personalised attention, Mr Stalin said.

He said this decision was also disrespectful of the court’s decision.

“We request the Government to immediately remove this clause from the admission criteria and limit the intake to 35 students. If not we will have to go back to the Supreme Court,” Stalin said.

Meanwhile a Senior Education Ministry official said they will take into consideration the issues the applicants for grade one admissions will be facing in view of the travel restrictions. They said the deadline would be revised after these issues are considered.

The applications for grade one admissions have to be sent on or before June 30. - CC

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