The Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) has lodged a complaint with the Education Ministry Secretariat and the Examinations Commissioner General regarding the exam centre at Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya, being closed on Jan. 15, allegedly due to teachers not arriving at the school dressed in sarees.
A petition in this regard, signed by 26 individuals, was sent to the Examinations Commissioner General on the same day. Stalin stated that legal action should be taken against the school principal for initially preventing teachers from entering the examination centres and for closing the centre, which caused delays in releasing the examination marks.
According to the petition, school security personnel had prevented teachers from entering the examination centre for not wearing sarees, as instructed by the school principal.
The teachers had argued that since the evaluation centre operates under the authority of the Commissioner General of Examinations, the principal does not have jurisdiction over their dress code.
The principal, however, maintained that a certain level of discipline must be upheld within the school premises, and that all visitors should adhere to the school’s guidelines and the police were later called in after the situation escalated. However, an agreement was not reached.
Subsequently, the Commissioner General of Examinations had instructed to temporarily close the evaluation centre and according to the Commissioner General of Examinations Amith Jayasundara, a final decision in this regard is to be reached today (Jan. 17).
