The Ministry of Education stated that although it is not possible to recruit teachers nationally due to ongoing legal proceedings in courts, the Government is attempting to provide solutions to the teacher shortage by recruiting teachers at the Provincial level.

Claiming that the teacher shortage in the country has now exceeded 50,000, the Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) recently urged the ministry to take immediate steps to recruit teachers in the required numbers. CTU President Priyantha Fernando recently said that a number of education zones belonging to the Districts of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Trincomalee, Ampara, Monaragala, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa have been severely affected due to the teacher shortage. 

He said that many schools in these districts lack teachers for science, mathematics, information technology, English and other technical subjects, along with those who teach for primary classes.

Speaking to The Daily Morning on the issue, the Ministry's Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said that due to ongoing court proceedings, the national recruitment of graduate teachers is not possible. "Teacher recruitment is currently handled at the Provincial Council (PC) level. Each PC follows its own process for hiring teachers and makes the necessary decisions accordingly. We are hopeful that the Provincial-level recruitment would help minimise the teacher shortage," he added.