CTU demands immediate circular to halt school fund collections

Colombo, Feb. 22 (Daily Mirror) - The Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) has alleged that schools continue to collect money from parents despite the Education Ministry’s recent statement that fund collection is not permitted, calling the situation “deeply distressing” for families.

CTU General Secretary Joseph said that money is being collected from parents on a continuous basis under various requirements, placing a heavy financial burden on them. He said the practice has become increasingly strict in many schools, contradicting the Ministry’s public position.

The union has urged the Education Minister to immediately issue a formal circular prohibiting the collection of funds, rather than merely releasing statements. According to the CTU, without clear written instructions, schools continue to enforce payments.

The controversy centers around Circular 5/2015, which provides guidelines for the collection of funds in schools. Under this circular, schools reportedly calculate their annual expenses, divide the total by the number of students, and collect a fixed amount from each student for maintenance purposes.

In addition to these annual payments, the CTU claims that money is also being collected through class-based parent groups for various activities. These include classroom repairs, painting of classrooms and desks, displaying notice boards, purchasing smart boards, and acquiring equipment required for new education reforms. 

The union described this as a “new method” of collection carried out with the consent of school authorities through selected parents.

As a result, parents are allegedly being compelled to pay multiple amounts throughout the year, causing significant hardship. The CTU said that in 2026 alone, such collections are already taking place in many schools and called for immediate intervention.

While Circular 5/2015 has effectively legalized certain types of fund collection for school maintenance, the union is demanding that the circular be repealed. It further called for a new directive clearly outlining prohibited practices and addressing illegal collections to prevent further exploitation.

The CTU also raised concerns about substantial sums reportedly maintained as fixed deposits in banks by several leading schools. The union questioned the basis on which funds are being collected from current students while large reserves remain unused, arguing that such funds should be utilized for student needs instead of imposing additional financial demands on parents.

Moreover, the union warned against the maintenance of accounts outside officially recognized School 

Development Society accounts and the collection of funds without proper auditing. It alleged that some schools are now operating multiple accounts under different names involving students and parents, describing it as an emerging practice that requires urgent scrutiny.