CTTU urges govt. to improve education in NEP

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 January 2002, 15:28 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union (CTTU) has sent a memorandum to United National Front government urging it to uplift educational standard of the northeast province. "The government should take prompt steps to remove all sentries and camps of State armed forces from schools in the northeast province," said Mr.T.Mahasivam, General Secretary of the CTTU in the memorandum sent to the Minister of Rehabilitations, Reconstruction and Refugees.

The memorandum further states:

"More than three hundred schools have been displaced and at least two hundred schools have been closed down in the NEP. State armed forces have established their camps and sentries in at least 150 schools in the province. Students and teachers attend these schools with a sense of fear and severe stress when they hear rape and brutal killings elsewhere in the province.

"About one hundred thousand children within the age group of 5 to 15 do not attend schools in the NEP as their parents are displaced and loss of family members due to the present war. A special incentive scheme should be implemented to persuade these children to attend schools.

"About four hundred schools in the NEP have been identified functioning in temporary sheds and under trees. Most of schools in the province, particularly in areas which are not under the control of the State armed forces have not been provided with basic facilities such as water and sanitation.

"Not a single school in areas which are not under the control of the State armed forces has been provided with computer facilities. Action should be taken immediately to lift the ban imposed on transporting computers, science equipments and chemicals to schools in areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"Transport services should be provided to students and teachers to schools in areas held by the LTTE.

"Refugee camps in the NEP should be closed down immediately as children in these camps develop 'camp culture' and going stray without proper supervision".