The ongoing turmoil in the education sector shows no signs of abating as the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) has declared that their trade union action, which disrupted schools across the nation today, will continue into tomorrow.
CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin affirmed to the media that teachers and principals will extend their sick leave and refrain from reporting to duty on Thursday, June 27. This decision comes in direct response to a violent crackdown earlier today, where police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse CTU members protesting in Colombo.
"The firing of tear gas and water cannons by the Police was an unjust response to our peaceful demonstration," Stalin criticized, underlining the union's grievance against the heavy-handed police action.
Today's strike action saw over 10,000 schools shuttered as teachers and principals voiced multiple concerns, chiefly highlighting salary discrepancies among their demands. The strike effectively paralyzed educational activities nationwide.
In a symbolic show of dissent, CTU trade union members marched from Fort Railway Station to Lotus Road in Colombo, culminating in clashes with law enforcement. The police intervention further inflamed tensions, prompting condemnation from union leaders and escalating the standoff between educators and authorities.
