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Students, teachers inconvenienced by shortage of buses

26 Jul 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) and the All-Ceylon Private Bus Owners Association (ACPBOA) have stated that although the schools that were closed due to the prevailing fuel shortage reopened yesterday (25), students and teachers were greatly inconvenienced due to limited bus services. Speaking to The Morning, CTU President Priyantha Fernando said yesterday: “Schools were reopened today (25) after weeks, but students and teachers did not have adequate transportation facilities to get to schools. Therefore, the attendance of students in many schools in urban areas was low. The Government has no programme to solve the problems faced by the people. It is very clear through the fact that the Government has not been able to provide a solution to this fuel crisis for many months.” He further stated that the Government should prepare a programme for the continuous operation of schools, as well as for students and teachers to reach schools. Otherwise, he said, the education sector, which has been in a slump for more than three years, will further collapse. Adding that the CTU, as a trade union, is happy that schools have been reopened, he noted that the Government should ensure that students and teachers are reaching the schools too. Meanwhile, speaking to the media yesterday, ACPBOA President Anjana Priyanjith said that only 15-20% of the total number of private buses were in operation yesterday due to the lack of diesel. He also mentioned that many students and teachers were observed waiting at bus stops and roads for a long time until a bus arrived.  “Schools reopened today and we saw students and teachers waiting in large numbers on the roads and at bus stops. The Government has failed to provide diesel for private buses. Therefore, only between 15-20% of the private buses were in operation.”  He said that since the Government has decided to operate schools today (26) and tomorrow (27) as well, in order to operate schools successfully, sufficient fuel must be released for private buses. He also mentioned that all private bus owners are ready to transport students and teachers to schools on time if they get enough fuel. The Education Ministry decided to reopen all Government and Government-approved private schools yesterday, after the plan to reopen them on 21 July was postponed due to the fuel shortage related crisis in the transport sector.  


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