Volunteer teachers continue protest

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 July 2006, 00:50 GMT]
About forty seven volunteer teachers Monday re-commenced their fasting rotation basis demanding permanency in front of the Batticaloa Zonal Education Office in Batticaloa as their protest held in front of Kalkudah Zonal Education Office located in Valaichchenai from last Tuesday failed to produce positive response, sources said.

The volunteer teachers currently holding their fast on rotation basis inside the premises of the Batticaloa Zonal Education Office. They were holding placards and posters asking provincial and central education authorities promptly attend to their demands, sources said.

Volunteers said they would launch a fast unto death campaign if the authorities fail to act positively, sources said.

Batticaloa District Volunteer Teachers Association has accused the authorities concerned for ignoring their demands for permanency, sources said

189 volunteer teachers are serving in schools in three education zones, Batticaloa, Kalkudah and Paddiruppu in the Batticaloa district without any payment. Most of them are serving in schools located in areas not under the government authority to ease the existing shortage of teachers in such schools, sources said.

Meanwhile, interviews were held Monday in Amparai district for volunteer teachers there to confer permanency, sources said.