The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) says that it does not approve the president’s decision to make education an essential service in order to avoid professional issues in the field.
The Chairman of FUTA, Prof. Shyama Banneheka said that it is important for the authorities to work effectively to resolve the problems in the education sector.
Speaking at the Education Ministry’s progress review meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday, the President said he is thinking of making education, especially examinations, a compulsory service under the emergency law, if the teachers further refuse to take part in paper-marking of the 2022 G.C.E. Advanced Level examination.
When inquired by Ada Derana in this regard, Prof. Shyama Banneheka said he is, nevertheless, delighted that the education sector has received attention from top-level authorities in the country amidst the prevailing issues.
He said, however, a specific service should be made an essential service in consideration of the importance of the relevant sector and the services that can be provided to the people of the country. “A service should not be declared ‘essential’ in a bid to avoid the issues prevalent in the relevant sector when a group of professionals voices their concerns.”
“From time to time in the recent past, it was common to declare certain sectors as essential services in an attempt to intimidate the employees or to force them to come to work”, he stressed.
“Making a service an essential service based on such purposes cannot be approved.”
Prof. Banneheka, also emphasized that there are many other major problems in the education sector, adding that university lecturers are of the opinion that it would be better to resolve these issues before declaring the education sector an essential service.
He further commented on the paper-marking activities of the 2022 G.C.E. Advanced Level examination.
“We withdrew from those activities temporarily, hoping for some relief to this tax issue. So we have a hope that we will receive at least a temporary relief.”
“It is evident that there have been some positive signs”, he said.
Prof. Banneheka, who mentioned that the Executive Committee of the FUTA takes all the decisions regarding the matter, added that they are preparing to do their best over next few days, following an executive committee meeting.
