The National United Teachers’ Union (NUTU) yesterday alleged that a disciplinary investigation has been initiated against its Vice President in Kandy for publicly pointing out shortcomings in the ongoing education reforms.
NUTU Chief Secretary Ramith Wijesiri said the inquiry was triggered by a Facebook comment made by the Vice President criticising how the reforms were being implemented by the Provincial Director of Education. He described the move as a violation of the Vice President’s freedom of speech and expression.
Wijesiri said the disciplinary action infringes on the fundamental right to free expression guaranteed under Article 14(1) of the Constitution, adding that the union is considering legal action.
Commenting on the reforms, he stressed that education changes cannot be introduced abruptly and should instead be rolled out through pilot programmes.
He also claimed that teachers were given insufficient training to implement the new system, contributing to its shortcomings, and alleged irregularities in the preparation of training modules, including the inclusion of unauthorised external links. According to the union, the reform process also lacks a proper draft framework and assessment mechanism.
