"We want our children to be admitted to our own school": School employees came to the Presidential Secretariat with children

A group of national school employees staged a protest today (05) in front of the Presidential Secretariat against the abolition of the privilege that existed until now, allowing children of academic and non-academic staff who have served for more than three years in national schools to be admitted to those schools, effective from 2025. They protested, demanding a discussion with the President regarding this issue, and their children were also seen participating.

Previously, school staff, including teachers, who had completed three years of service in national schools, had a special opportunity to admit their children to the same school where they served. However, protesters point out that this privilege has been revoked without any reasonable cause or prior notice, effective from 2025. They state that this decision has severely disadvantaged those who had completed three years of service and were awaiting this opportunity.

Despite several discussions with responsible authorities, including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education, and the Secretary of Education, regarding this issue, no fair solution has been received so far. Protesters accuse that although all parties acknowledged the injustice done to them during those discussions, the authorities have failed to provide a practical solution. They also claim that a promise to do justice to national school employees when issuing the circular for student admissions to intermediate grades in 2025 has not been fulfilled.

Protesters also revealed that the Ministry of Education admitted children of 53 employees who had not completed three years of service during student admissions in 2024. They pointed out that since this group includes individuals with short service periods, such as one year and six months, denying this opportunity to those who have completed three years of service is problematic both legally and morally.

Many people who transferred from distant areas like Galle and Matara, hoping for this privilege, are among them. Protesters stated that some parents did not apply for other schools, even though their children passed the scholarship exam, intending to admit them to the school under this quota, while others kept their children in international schools until the service period was completed. They emphasized that victimizing a group that has served dedicatedly in the national school system for three years is unacceptable.

Protesters emphasize that a discussion with the President is necessary to find a proper solution to this problem. The group representing the National Schools Protection Alliance further stated that they are ready to accept a written promise regarding a date or timeframe for such a discussion, but if not, they will resort to severe trade union action in the future.