Christian, Hindu teachers boycott training college

[TamilNet, Friday, 23 March 2007, 11:27 GMT]
The untrained English teachers of non-Muslim faith selected for the new academic year for teacher training at Addalaichchenai Teachers’ Training College picketed in front of the Batticaloa Teachers’ Training College around 10:30 a.m. Thursday demanding transfers to Batticaloa Teachers’ Training College.

The academic year began on 12 March and all the 54, untrained English teachers of Hindu and Christian faith selected for the Addalaichchenai College have been on sick leave from the start. They complain of difficulties at the Muslim dominated Addalaichchenai College, located in Amparai district.

Dress codes and meals, especially, availability of vegetarian meals present difficulties to Hindu teachers, affected teachers said.

“Even though, we had already informed the authorities concerned our difficulties, no actions had been taken so far. That compelled us to opt to agitation,” teachers said. The teachers also carried placards with the following slogans.

Meanwhile, Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarians, S. Jeyananthamoorthy, P. Ariyaneththiran, T. Kanagasabai and Miss Thangeswary Kathiraman, brought the matter to the attention of the Minister of Education, Susil Prem Jayanth. The Minster promised to resolve the issues soon.

The Principal of the Batticaloa Teachers’ Training College, A. Luxmy Suntharam, had told the education officials that his college has the required facilities to start a new English training unit.