Reginald Cooray, the Chief Minister of the western provincial council has expressed concern that parents and members of the public who interview him always talk about the need of schools and nothing about the educational standard of the students.

The chief minister’s views stimulate our thinking. A large sum of money is spent on the development of schools in the country. But the standard of education has not adequately improved. Yet there is no concern shown by the parents and well-wishers regarding the quality of education.

It is often remarked that the students who do well at school and score well art public examinations are those who attend private tuition classes. In some schools, the students stop attending classes weeks or months before the exam saying that no work is done t school. Instead they regularly attend private tuition classes. This is due to the poor quality of teaching at public schools. This reflects very badly on the teachers. Strict disciplinary actions should be taken against such teachers.

The Chief Minister has told that the parents and public make representation to him about building laboratories, libraries and boundary walls to schools and that it is strange that they are not interested about the quality of education imparted at schools.

He has stressed that the success of a school depends mainly on the quality of the work done by teachers. Then, and then alone, students will progress in education. Teachers enjoy public holidays. They also enjoy their school vacation. They enjoy holidays at weekends .In addition they also enjoy pregnancy leave, casual and medical leave. Just imagine the number of days the teachers work at school. The teachers must answer their conscience and do their duties by the students.

Every teacher must consider teaching not as a job but as a profession and serve with dedication to mould the character of the next generation.

An English version of Thinakkural Editorial dated August 6, 2006

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