Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) Secretary Joseph Stalin, speaking to The Morning, claimed that though teaching using online technology is voluntary, principals and officials of zonal education offices in various areas have begun to monitor online teaching by imposing various regulations. He further claimed that if principals and zonal education offices continue to exert undue influence on teachers in this manner, online teaching will have to be discontinued in the future. “Some school principals have instructed teachers to conduct Vesak-related programmes using the Zoom technology, in addition to conducting online education activities and classes throughout the day, but the teachers or students have not been given anything needed for online activities,” he alleged. Noting that it was difficult for teachers as well as children to access online education, Stalin observed that about 60% of educational activities have been disrupted at present. Meanwhile, when queried as to whether they had discussed the matter with Minister of Education Prof. G.L.
