The Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) has questioned as to why the teacher accused of sexually abusing a schoolgirl in Kotahena — who later committed suicide — has only been placed on compulsory leave, while even those accused of minor offences are immediately suspended.

The Ministry of Education announced last week that the teacher in question had been sent on compulsory leave after receiving a Police 'B report'.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the CTU President Priyantha Fernando claimed that the current Government was protecting its Party (the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power) members, just like previous governments had done. "Sending someone on compulsory leave still means that they get paid. In serious cases like this, teachers and principals are often suspended. For instance, a principal in the Eastern Province was suspended simply for talking back to the Provincial Director of Education. So, why was a teacher accused of such a serious offence only sent on compulsory leave?" Fernando queried.

The Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Madura Seneviratne was not available for comment.

On 8 May, a group staged a protest in front of the school in Bambalapitiya, where the schoolgirl who took her own life had allegedly been sexually abused by the teacher in question. The ministry subsequently stated that a preliminary investigation into the incident was currently underway, and that formal disciplinary action would be taken against the teacher as soon as the report was received.