School Development Officers staged a protest today in front of the Colombo Fort railway station, urging the confirmation of their service. The demonstration disrupted traffic flow along the adjacent road this afternoon.
A group of individuals, who have been actively involved in the school system’s learning and teaching processes for over four years as apprentice school development officers, are now demanding to be integrated into the teaching profession. They gathered at Olcott Mawatha, in front of the Fort railway station, to voice their demands.
“The government and the Ministry of Education currently have no plans to integrate this group into the teaching profession. Instead, temporary solutions are being pursued to address the teacher shortage. We urge the authorities to absorb this group into the teaching service rather than obstruct their transition, as this would address the ongoing teacher shortage,” said Nuwan Sri Lal, the Chairman of the All Ceylon School Development Officers Union.
The group asserted that they would persist with the protest until a resolution is reached. The All Ceylon School Development Officers Union decided to engage in a continuous satyagraha campaign until their demands are met.
During the satyagraha, heavy rain prompted the protestors to set up a tent, leading to a confrontation between the police and demonstrators.
