COLOMBO : Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena announced on Tuesday, Oct.19 that all possible measures have already been taken to start the primary sections of schools with less than 200 students on Thursday 21.
The ministry has planned to start more than 3,800 schools under the First Phase of the schools reopening programme. However, several teachers’ and principals’ trade unions have announced that their members would not report for duty tomorrow and day after, but will be on duty from next Monday.
However, several other trade unions emphasize that their members will be on duty from tomorrow as they give the utmost priority to the school education of students. They also complain that some trade unionists have political motivations.
The Minister emphasized that steps will be taken to start schools in accordance with the COVID-19 prevention guidelines of the Health Ministry. “Health guidelines will strongly be followed in school premises to ensure the protection of the entire school community,” the Minister added. As almost all schools with less than 200 students are provincial schools, several rounds of discussions have been held between the Education Ministry and the Provincial Governors regarding the commencement of schools.
All Officers-in-Charge of Police Stations have been instructed by the Police Headquarters in a special communiqué to assist the school Heads to re-open the primary schools with less than 200 students Thursday, Oct,2).
