Graduate teachers struggle with subjects

Thursday, 20 June 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Govt. admits arbitrary recruitments resulted in teachers being given subjects they did not study in university

By Ashwin Hemmathagama – Our Lobby Correspondent

The newly-appointed teachers have found it difficult to teach the subjects assigned to them at schools, the Government confirmed to the Parliament yesterday.

According to a recent investigation, some of these graduates were granted appointments not relevant to the subjects studied at the university for their degree programs.

According to the Lands and Parliamentary Reforms Minister and Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunatileka, arbitrary decisions made by the Provincial Councils in recruiting graduates to fill teacher vacancies have led to the issues that affected the students and the entire education system in the country.

“Several years ago, the Provincial Councils have recruited graduates and appointed them for subjects different from what was followed at the university for graduation and some of the newly-appointed teachers do class work without a preparation,” he said.

“In order to overcome this issue, based on the provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, a Cabinet Paper was submitted to re-issue appointments relevant to the graduates and absorb them into Teacher Service,” he added.