EDU. MINISTER ASKS TEACHERS TO REPORT TO SCHOOLS

All teachers were asked to report to schools in order to use the facilities available in those institutions to provide online education, Minister of Education Professor G. L. Peiris told Parliament yesterday.

“Schools are the best place to conduct online education as it would be possible to hold such classes during school hours according to a time table,” the Minister said in response to a question raised by Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa.

“We will reopen a total of 2,962 schools where there are less than 100 students at the end of this month or early September this year. Other schools will be opened after the teachers are given both doses of COVID- 19 vaccines. Around 87 percent of the teachers are given the first dose of the vaccine as of today. accordingly around 253,000 teachers have been given the first dose of the vaccine,” the Minister added.

The Minister said that the salary issue of teachers and school principals will be resolved in the Budget. “we are in the process of holding discussions with the Minister of Finance shortly to decide how much of funds that should be allocated for the education sector in the Budget. Why can’t the Opposition and the teachers be patient till November this year?” he questioned.

He added that the Opposition should not politicise the salary issue of the teachers and principals.