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Principals’ union opposes membership of resolution committee 

10 Nov 2022

  • Cites lack of confidence in some members of committee appointed by Edu. Ministry to look into principals’ issues 
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Following the appointment of a five-member committee to look into issues of the Sri Lanka Principal Service (SLPS) and submit a report to the Ministry of Education, the Ceylon Principals' Union (CPU) has stated that it has no confidence in certain members of the said committee, adding that the committee will therefore not be of significant help in resolving their issues. The Ministry had recently appointed a five-member committee to study the current situation of the SLPS and its issues, and to submit a report. Its membership consists of Tissa Hewawitharana, and Bhadra Vithanage and W.M.J.N. Pushpakumara (both from the Ministry), and Dr. A. Sivanesarajah (retired) and Kamal Padmasiri (both from the National Institute of Education [NIE]).  According to the Ministry, the committee is to look into matters such as the employment and service conditions of principals, recruitment, placements, salaries and other benefits, the transfers and promotions of principals, the role of principals in the implementation of proposed education reforms and measures to be taken for the professional development of principals, and related issues. The CPU, in a letter to Education Minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha, expressing its views on this committee, has claimed that it has discussed matters related to the SLPS with some members of the relevant committee on many occasions, and given them information in writing about the issues to be solved. However, it is mentioned that since those officials did not work to solve even the issues that could have been solved very easily, they have become long-term issues that cannot be solved at present.  The letter, which was seen by The Morning, read that it is doubtful as to whether the officers of the NIE who have been appointed to the committee have sufficient understanding of the issues in the principals’ service. Highlighting that they will not approve of finding solutions to the problems through more protracted processes unless immediate solutions are provided, and because the principals do not have confidence in some members of the relevant committee, the CPU said that it is not of the view that their issues will be solved based on the advice and guidance of this committee. In 2021, nearly 30 teachers’ and principals’ trade unions embarked on a number of trade union actions, including withdrawal from all physical and online teaching activities and examination related duties, demanding a solution to the teacher-principal salary anomaly issue. Following the trade union action, the then Government increased the teachers' and principals' salaries from January 2022. However, both teachers and principals, through the respective trade unions that they represent, still charge that there are many issues pertaining to appointments, salaries and other benefits, promotions, and transfers to which the relevant authorities have not paid considerable attention.   


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