SriLanka, June 14 -- The General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU), Joseph Stalin said the Ministry of Education bears significant responsibility for the rising number of children who are not attending school.

Stalin told the Sunday Observer that the funds collected through schools for various purposes and activities had become a burden on parents and has contributed to a decline in school attendance.

He said that many parents are unable to afford the expenses demanded by schools, while the rapid spread of private tuition classes has created further difficulties for students and families.

"The Government has failed to provide solutions to these issues. Schools and the Ministry of Education must work together to identify why...