Social media criticism for the group trying to get teacher appointments by engaging in a death fast without competitive exams

Teacher development officers, who have been engaged in teaching in schools for seven years, have stated that they reject the traditional competitive examination proposed by the government for their entry into the teacher service. They have also stated their readiness to face any practical test instead of the competitive examination. Yesterday marked the fourth day of the hunger strike launched by these teacher development officers in front of the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo Fort, demanding their appointment to the teacher service.

Police security has been deployed around the protest site, and one female officer participating in the hunger strike was recently (on the 26th) admitted to the Colombo National Hospital due to a sudden illness. Strong public opposition and criticism have been directed via social media regarding the four-day hunger strike. The majority of people commenting on Facebook about this action point out that if one meets the qualifications, they should not fear examinations and should join the teacher service through the proper procedure.

Many people question why, especially if they are graduates, they are afraid to face a competitive examination. The public points out that there is a service constitution relevant to the teaching profession, and that demanding jobs through coercion and displaying posters instead of obtaining appointments based on merit by passing competitive examinations is inappropriate. Social media users have also expressed their doubt about how a group unable to face and pass an examination can provide education to schoolchildren, with some even accusing this group of being unfit to take charge of children's future due to their fear of exams.

Although they claim to be on a hunger strike for four days, various parties accuse them of being untrustworthy, secretly consuming food, and misleading the public. There are also those who mock this action, stating that falling ill and being hospitalized during the fast is a tactic, and that if it were truly a hunger strike, one could not survive for several days without water and food. Some social media responses even contain very harsh and crude comments, suggesting that providing hospital facilities to such individuals is unnecessary, and that the government would not be responsible even if they were to die.

Comments on social media also suggest that this group was recruited informally or based on political favoritism during previous governments. The public accuses them of lacking the ability to pass exams, as they obtained jobs through letters from various politicians. They emphasize that such protests, blocking roads, are futile when the government is already prepared to conduct competitive examinations and recruit, and that instead of criticizing the current or previous governments, they should demonstrate their competence to secure their jobs.

Many people believe that instead of wasting time protesting on the streets, that time should have been used for studies to pass the teacher examination. The public also points out that if appointments are made outside the proper procedure, it would be a great injustice to other graduates who have passed examinations and are awaiting appointments. The public advises that this hunger strike is a futile act and that they should abandon it immediately and prepare for competitive examinations; if unable to do so, they should find another profession.

Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized in Parliament on September 05 that graduates will not be absorbed into the teacher service without a competitive examination for any reason in the future.
She explained that this decision was made based on the recommendations of the Public Service Commission and several Supreme Court rulings, and that it would be implemented in accordance with the Teacher Service Constitution and with the agreement of all stakeholders.
She also stated that development officers working in schools cannot be directly absorbed into the teacher service and, according to court rulings and the Teacher Service Constitution, they must face the competitive examination to enter the teacher service.