Mar 10, Colombo: A teacher trade union in Sri Lanka has threatened legal action against some schools that have registered certain areas belonging to the school under the Companies Act.

The Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) says that most often schools register areas designated for physical training activity like sports grounds, swimming pools and other sporting venues under the Companies Act.

The CTU notes that these areas then function independently from the school.

Secretary of the CTU, Joseph Stalin said that students have to pay to use the facilities in their schools once they are registered under the Companies Act.

According to an Education Ministry circular, school property should remain under the school's ownership and not function as independent entities, Stalin points out.

Schools should re-claim sports facilities and make them freely available to students, the union leader said.