By Sanath Nanayakkare
A teacher activist of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) representing the teachers and principals engaged in the ongoing union action demanding the resolution of the teachers’ salary anomalies issue based on the Subodini Committee recommendations, yesterday, urged State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara to leave the government if the SLFP MPs in the current administration could not support the teachers’ struggle.
The SLFP activist made these remarks, on behalf of the protesting teachers and principals, at a meeting held in Kurunegala to establish a teachers’ association affiliated to the SLFP where Sate Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara was the chief guest.
“We campaigned for you at the election time going door to door, and got you elected to parliament. If you can’t speak out on our behalf in Parliament, there is no point in being in the alliance. Represent us or just quit,” he said amidst a thunderous applause.
“We started teaching online during the pandemic before the government had even thought of it. We paid from our own pocket for data used for the online classes, and now the government is trying to have the public believe that we are sabotaging school education. So, please speak out on behalf of us,” he added.
State Minister Jayasekara said that he was pleased that the teacher gave vent to his feelings by saying what he said.
“Yes, I agree with you. The salary issue of the teachers and principals was not handled well by some government ministers. Joseph Stalin and Mahinda Jayasinghe were made unique characters because of the way the government handled the issue from the beginning. If they had negotiated without arrogance the issue could have been resolved.”
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