Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union Joseph Stalin dismissed the report published on state owned ‘Silumina’ newspaper that hundreds of teachers who participated in protests regarding teachers’ and principals’ salary anomalies have been tested positive for COVID-19.
The Silumina newspaper, quoting Sri Lanka Podujana Education Services Union President Wasantha Handapangoda, published a news claiming that 400 teachers who participated in the said protests were tested positive for COVID-19 while 25 of them were succumbed to the virus.
Stalin, when contacted by News19 said that the unions decided to stop road protests following requests of the medical experts two weeks ago.
“This so called trade union is affiliated with the government and everyone is aware of that. It is not acceptable for a national newspaper to publish news entirely based on a union like that. The teachers are looking forward to see the clarification of Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma regarding this,” he said.
Furthermore, Stalin questioned why Silumina failed to provide names of the teachers who were allegedly succumbed to death by COVID-19.
