CTTU protests delay in Tamil text book distribution

[TamilNet, Sunday, 06 March 2005, 13:29 GMT]
Twenty thousand member strong Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) has brought to the notice of Sri Lanka's President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge that Education department officials are discriminating the Tamil medium students in distribution of free text books thereby violating the principle of equal opportunity in education, civil sources said. Ms Kumaratunge also holds the portfolio of Ministry of Education.

Mr.T.Mahasivam, General Secretary of the CTTU, in a letter to Ms Kumaratunge states: "For Grade 7 students, new textbooks were to be distributed in accordance with the education reforms. New textbooks have already been distributed to the Sinhalese medium schools across Sri Lanka. However, we regret to mention that Tamil medium schools have not been distributed with any new textbooks even after two months since the commencement of new academic year.

"New textbook for English language has been issued to about 25 percent of the Tamil medium schools."

"The non-distribution of free textbooks to Tamil medium schools denies equal opportunity to Tamil medium students and is a blatant discrimination against Tamil medium students. We appeal to you to take immediate steps to instruct the Ministry of Education to dispatch free textbooks to Tamil medium schools in the country without further delay and to ensure equal opportunity to Tamil medium students," said Mr.Mahasivam in his letter to Ms Kumaratunge, sources said.