• CTU steadfast on calling in sick on 1 day in Dec. 1st week, cites impracticality of shifting from current syllabus covered with 40-min. periods to 50-min. ones    

The Ministry of Education stated that although there is no barrier to discuss the Government’s decision to extend school hours with the sectoral trade unions (TU), there is no possibility of changing the decision to implement the new schedule from January of next year (2026).

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that while TUs are free to express their views and engage in discussions, the decision to extend the school hours until 2 p.m. has already been finalised. 

“We can discuss the matter, but we can’t change this decision. It is final. TUs can express their ideas, but there is no possibility to change this reform programme,” he said.

The Ministry’s stance comes in response to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU), which has announced a one-day strike in the second week of December to protest the decision.

CTU President Priyantha Fernando told The Daily Morning recently that the Union rejects the claim by Prime Minister and Education Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya that teachers don’t oppose the said change. 

“We have been going from school to school, discussing this with teachers over the past few weeks. They are against this decision,” he said.

Urging the Government to reverse its decision to extend school hours by half an hour (from 1.30 p.m. to 2 p.m.), CTU General Secretary Joseph Stalin warned that they would launch TU action from the first week of next month (December) if the Government proceeds with the plan. 

Accordingly, teachers are expected to call in sick on one day of the week to express their opposition. Addressing a public event, Stalin said: “All teachers in all schools should call in sick and show what our stance is. I suggest that we go even further in our action if the Government continues with the decision.”

Moreover, pointing out contradictions between the initial reform plans and their implementation plan, he questioned how concrete the proposed reforms are. Stalin also raised concerns about the practicality of shifting from the current syllabus, which is designed to be covered through 40-minute periods, to the proposed 50-minute period system. He expressed disapproval of what he referred to as the Government’s rigid stance on proceeding with the proposed education reforms, which include the extension of school hours, and its apparent willingness to disregard the concerns raised by teachers and principals.

On an earlier occasion, Kaluwewa said that the Ministry is only implementing reforms designed by the National Institute of Education (NIE), which holds the technical expertise in the area. He said that while the NIE had initially proposed extending each period to one hour, the Ministry had however requested that it be reduced to 50 minutes for practical reasons. As a result, the total school hours must be extended until 2 p.m.

The proposed reforms are scheduled to come into effect in January 2026.