Dispute over plantation teacher recruits settled before SC

Wasantha Ramanayake

COLOMBO: The dispute over the recruitment of Tamil Medium Teachers for Plantations Districts was settled before the Supreme Court, on Monday.

In terms of the settlement a balance of 600 teachers would be recruited from Muslim communities in Muslim Schools in the Plantation Districts.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC, Justices Mrs. Shiranee Thilakawardane and Saleem Marsoof PC. According to the settlement, the Candidates for Muslim Schools should have a pass in Islam at the GCE Ordinary Level Examination while candidates for Tamil Schools should have a pass in Hinduism or Christianity.

The petitioners who were Tamil medium Muslims challenged the requirement i.e. the applicants should have "C" passes in the Hinduism or Christianity was in violation of the rights of the petitioners.

They stated that the first respondent Secretary to the Ministry of Education had issued a gazette notification calling for applications for the competitive examination for the requirement of teachers to the Tamil schools in the Plantation areas in August 2005, in order to recruit around 3,000 Tamil Medium Teachers in Plantation Districts. President's Counsel Faiz Musthapha with Faizer Musthapha and Sanjeewa Jayawardane appeared for the petitioners.

President's Counsel Romesh de Silva with Harsha Amarasekera, President's Counsel K. N. Choksy with Roland Perera and D. Jonathan appeared for the respondents.

Deputy Solicitor General S. Rajarathnam appeared for the Education Ministry and the Attorney General.