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Teacher, please be at your desk

Considering the scandalous proportions teacher absenteeism in our schools is taking, we should not be surprised in the least to learn that failures at the last GCE Ordinary Level examination were well above 50 per cent.

When teachers play truant how could one expect academic excellence from their wards? This is the poser our educational authorities and public-spirited sections need to answer.

We are given to understand that out of around 200,000 teachers, 40,000 are on ‘leave’ daily. That is one out of five teachers is on ‘leave’ everyday.

The implications of these staggering statistics are that tens of thousands of our primary and secondary school students are unconscionably neglected and allowed to languish in classrooms where teaching is not done. Should we, then, wonder at the dismal failure rate at the GCE Ordinary Level?

While agreeing with Education Minister Susil Premajayantha that teaching is just not any other job but a profession, we wish to go further and say that teaching is not just any profession but a vocation - a sacred vocation.

It could be considered on par with the noblest professions. This is the reason why it must be conscientiously practised by those engaged in it. By keeping away from work, however, these practitioners are degrading their vocation and calling in life.

The situation is similar to that of doctors who abandon their patients in the latter’s hour of need. Inasmuch as the latter situation is a tragedy of unendurable proportions so is the former. In both cases, precious lives are blighted terribly.

So, we call on our teachers to set their sights high. Much is expected of them and the country could be considered to be betrayed if they fail in reaching the lofty ideals which they are expected to adhere to.

Our teachers are the moulders of the hearts and minds of the younger generation. They bring out the men and women of tomorrow.

By failing to be at their posts, our teachers are abandoning this sacred duty of bringing out men and women of exemplary calibre. Consequently, the country is blighted.

The authorities are not exaggerating when they say that teachers enjoy the most holidays among public servants. This is the reason why they need to give a good account of themselves.

We hope, therefore, that the teachers of this country would ponder deeply on these issues.

They need to consider in particular, the future of Mathematics and Science in this country; the results in relation to which have been highly discouraging.

Science and Mathematics are two disciplines which have a crucial impact on a country’s future. It does not require any special ingenuity to realise that teacher absenteeism has contributed greatly towards the dismal GCE Ordinary Level performances in these subjects.

We call on our teachers to adopt an enlightened approach to their tasks. Conscientious teaching must be turned into a norm before it is too late.

State policy imperative for safer roads

The traffic environment in Sri Lanka revolves between two equally compelling a needs, the necessity of mobility and necessity of safety in mobility. Mobility is a basic human need. The right to safety in mobility should be considered by the State as a fundamental human right, as a logical extension of Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which declares “Everyone has the right to life, Liberty and Security of person”.

Full Story

Tigers’ Delft plan goes awry as Security Forces enhance vigilance

Claymore exploded in Colombo to divert Forces’ attention from North-East

According to the Navy only one guard point was destroyed in the Tiger attack. The Navy, through the intercepted radio transmissions of the LTTE confirmed that 18 Tiger cadres had perished in the Sea battle off the coast of Delft island.

Full Story

Ensuring English Medium and responsibility of EASL

Full Story

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