Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says that the government has failed to honour its previous pledge to absorb Teacher Development Officers (TDOs) into the teaching service, as hundreds of officers staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat.
Premadasa met a group of TDOs who had camped overnight opposite the Presidential Secretariat since November 16, demanding the government implement its promise.
He said many of the protesting officers have nearly a decade of experience in the education sector, with most holding at least five years of teaching experience.
“The government must take immediate steps to absorb 16,500 TDOs into the teaching service without further delay,” Premadasa said, noting that the issue was largely ignored during the election campaign.
A spokesperson for the protesters said no officials from the Presidential Secretariat had come forward for discussions, leaving the demonstration ongoing for a second consecutive day.
Meanwhile, a group of unemployed graduates also staged a protest at the same site on Sunday, calling on the government to fulfil its promise to provide jobs for 35,000 graduates.
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