The Lotus Road in Colombo has been temporarily closed off due to a protest by trade unions of teachers and principals.

The trade unions of teachers and principals have launched trade union actions today (26) based on six issues including salary disparities that had existed for over 22 years.

Many schools in Colombo, Battaramulla, and Wattala had been affected by the strike as many students had not attended school over the lack of teachers.

The majority of the 203 schools in the Puttalam Education Zone has been closed off as teachers had called in sick.

A similar situation has been reported from 189 schools in the Chilaw Educational Zone.

However, the whole schooling system has been affected as a majority of teachers had not reported service.

Although some schools reported low attendance of students, students of the majority of the school had not attended school at all, stated Ada Derana reporter.

School activities of many schools in the central highlands have been completely disrupted. Due to low student attendance, the children who had arrived in school had returned home after a while.

The strike had affected the school activities of the Vavuniya district as well.

According to Ada Derana reporter, schools in Hatton, Kotmale, Talawakelle, Nuwara Eliya, Walpane, Dambulla, Galewela, Naula, and Sigiriya areas have also reported being affected by the strike.