Aug 15, Colombo: Nine trade unions of teachers and principals say that stern trade union action will be initiated with the beginning of the next school term.

Chairman of the Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU), Joseph Stalin said that the Secretary of the Ministry of Education agreed to respond to the 13 demands of the teachers and the principals that was passed at a conference on June 13. These demands include revoke of salary anomalies of the teachers and principals.

The Secretary has agreed first to respond to the demands before June 30. Stalin said that the Secretary promised to respond within three weeks as the collective of teachers' and principals' unions held a protest before the Ministry of Education on July 25.

Stalin Further said that the teachers' and principals' unions will wait for another two weeks until the Secretary responds to their demands.

However, a Ministry of Education statement released last month says that Rs. 278 million has been allocated to pay the long due salary arrears of the teachers.