No Tamil Unit in Central Education Ministry

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 February 2005, 03:59 GMT]
Tamil and Muslim educationists have expressed serious concern that despite assurances given by Education Ministry Secretary, Dr.Tara de Mel, a separate Tamil Administration Unit has not been established in the Central Ministry of Education. Development of Tamil medium education has been severely hampered by the absence of this unit, the educationists complained.

Tamil Administrative Unit existed in the Education Ministry until 1976 when it was disbanded by the United National Party (UNP) Government.

National Schools Division, Teacher Education Division, Hinduism and Christianity sections in the Tamil medium are functioning with out Tamil Directors of Education. Retired Sinhalese officers are now looking after these Tamil divisions, sources said.

One Tamil Director of Education is functioning in the ministry is only to conduct annual Tamil Language Day event, sources said

Tamil and Muslim teachers are requesting Tamil, Muslim parliamentarians to take immediate steps to pressure the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) overnment to re-establish a Tamil Administrative Unit in the Central Ministry for Education, sources said.

Dr de Mel during the latter part of 2004 assured the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) that a separate Education Tamil Administration Unit would be established and a Tamil-speaking Director of Education would be appointed to lead the unit.

Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge holds the Education Ministry portfolio.