(Akitha Wijayasinghe)
Pillayan, who has been released on bail after being remanded on suspicion of murdering Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham, has engaged children in political propaganda work and it is a grave matter, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union says.
It states that Sivanesathurei Chandrakanthan aka Pillayan has involved school children of Panchankarni College in Kalkuda educational division, in their uniforms with band instruments in a welcome ceremony, while it is clearly shown that no school band groups should be involved in political meetings.
In addition, the Ministry of Education and the government have mentioned on several occasions that the school children are not to be engaged in any external activities during the pandemic, they added. The union further said that they highly condemn this act by the MP to involve school children in his political propaganda under such hazardous circumstances.
It further states that the Eastern educational authorities are to be held responsible for the event.
Although the Eastern Provincial Director of Education has said in a meeting on 07th December 2020 which was held with the initiation of Pillayan, that Pillayan has contributed tremendously towards the educational development in the Eastern Province, Batticaloa District placed at 23rd in the 2020 5th grade examinations, it added.
The educational system in the Eastern Province has collapsed due to politicization, the Union emphasized. It said that the education system is plagued with various political atrocities including informal appointments and transfers, and that the participation of school children in such events shows the prevailing reality.
