Moothoor East children's education suffers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 21 July 2007, 11:35 GMT]
Education of children of resettled Tamil families in Eachchilampattu-Verukal division in Trincomalee district has been adversely affected by shortage of teachers, shortage of learning materials, and lack of basic educational facilities aggravated by damaged school buildings resulting from the military operation of Sri Lanka Army (SLA), civil society sources said. Of the several thousand Tamil families which fled last year from Moothoor East, Eachchilampattu and Verukal division due to SLA's military offensive and sought refuge in Batticaloa district, only a few hundred families have been resettled in villages in Eachchilampattu-Verukal areas with minimal facilities.

Mavadichcheanai Government School, Vaddavaan Thanthon'reesvarar Vidiyalayam, Cheanaiyoor Vidiyalayam and Muththuchcheanai Government School have been re-opened in Eachchilampattu-Verukal division to accommodate children of these resettled families.

But, several buildings in these institutions have been damaged beyond repairs due to military operation.

Classes are conducted under shades of trees and in temporary structures.

Students sit on the floor and study due to shortage of furniture.

Acute shortage of teachers also prevails in these schools, as displaced teachers have not returned to their earlier stations. Instead these teachers have got temporary appointments in schools in Batticaloa district where they had sought refuge.

Parents have requested Divisional Education Officer to fill existing teacher vacancies, civil sources said.