Sept 20, Colombo: Education Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera says that a circular has been issued to provide an additional allowance of Rs. 5,000 per month to teachers and principals.

The Cabinet recently decided to pay an allowance of Rs. 5,000 per month to teachers and principals who are on duty in September and October until the issue of teacher-principal salary anomalies is resolved in the forthcoming budget.

It is stated that the allowance has been sent to the relevant schools by the Zonal Director for the teachers who are on duty during the months of September and October.

It has been informed that the relevant payments for the principals who have performed their duties can be obtained from the Zonal Director of Education.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Education has stated that the gazette notification regarding the designation of the teacher service, principal service and teacher advisory services recommended by the subcommittee as a closed service will be issued today and the remaining recommendations will be implemented within six months and its progress will be presented to the Cabinet.

It has been 71 days since the Teachers’ and Principals' Unions launched a trade union action based on several demands. The relevant associations had taken a number of trade union actions, including withdrawing from online teaching activities, refraining from submitting students’ applications for the GCE Advanced Level and Scholarship examinations, and not applying for duties for those examinations.

However, the Graded Principals’ Association stated yesterday that they have decided to submit students’ applications for the GCE Advanced Level examination.

The Teachers ‘ and Principals’ Trade Union Alliance however called a press conference today and stated that their union has not taken such a decision. The Sri Lanka Independent Teachers Union had also convened a press conference this morning.