Tamil medium volunteer teachers sit-in-protest continues

[TamilNet, Thursday, 13 March 2003, 23:21 GMT]
The sit-in -protest campaign by the North-East Tamil medium volunteer teachers in front of the provincial ministry of education office in Trincomalee entered its eleventh day Thursday without any solution in sight.

Hundreds of volunteers commenced their protest campaign on March 3, demanding that they should be made permanent according to the list prepared by the provincial ministry authorities after interviews and approved by the Cabinet of the then government and the present one, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union has brought to the notice of the Prime Minister that not only the Cabinet of the then People Alliance government but the cabinet of the present UNF government too has approved permanent appointment for one thousand Tamil medium volunteer teachers. Hence the refusal of the Treasury to allocate the necessary funds to this purpose is not justifiable, the CTTU has stated in its letter to the Prime Minister

In the meantime, a conference was held at the Prime Minister's office Wednesday regarding the question of granting permanent appointment to one thousand Tamil medium volunteer teachers as approved by the UNF cabinet. The conference was presided over by the PM's senior advisor, Mr.Bradman Weerakone. The Secretary of the School Education Ministry, Mr. H.M.Sirisena, also attended the conference.

However, a spokesman of the North East Tamil medium teachers Association said that they would continue their protest campaign until they receive appointment letters.