News
Stalin opposes moves to retain services of retiring officers in education sector
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Young officials must not be denied opportunites for career advancement, and attempts by some Class 1 officers of the education service, who must retire by 31 December to remain in the service must be thwarted, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) Joseph Stalin, said.
Stalin said by the end of this year, 10,000 employees in the education sector would retire. Among them are 34 Class 1 officers and some Supra Grade officers, Stalin said.
“Out of the nine provincial directors of education, seven are to retire. Some of the officers are conspiring with senior ministry officials and politicians to remain in service. They are trying to create the impression that if they retire, the education service will collapse. This is not true. We have 74 Class 1 officers and there are many others who are eligible to be promoted,” he said.
Stalin said that there are a large number of educated young officers and they need to be given the opportunity to prove themselves.
“Some Class 1 officers have no designated responsibilities. They can replace those who retire. Moreover, the Ministry must announce that these 34 officers are retiring and issue a gazette announcing the vacancies. Although there is less than seven weeks for the end of the year, the Ministry has not done so,” he said.
CTU General Secretary said that senior officers, in many government departments, are trying to convince people that they are irreplaceable. However, this is false and giving them service extensions will thwart the career progression of younger officials.
More than 40,000 motorists had paid fines for traffic violations in 2025 using the ‘GovPay’ application, the Police Media Division said yesterday.
According to police data, a total of 46,635 drivers have settled traffic fines through the digital payment platform so far this year. Between January 1 and January 24 alone, 11,715 motorists who committed traffic offences used the app to make payments.
The Police Media Division said the highest volume of fines collected via GovPay was recorded by the Expressway Traffic Division.
By Norman Palihawadane
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sri Lanka and Finland to establish a Political Consultation Mechanism aimed at further strengthening bilateral relations.
Sri Lanka and Finland established official diplomatic relations in 1954, and the two countries will mark the 72nd anniversary of diplomatic ties this year. Over the decades, relations have evolved into an active partnership, underpinned by cooperation in political, economic, social, cultural and educational spheres, as well as strong people-to-people links.
The proposed MoU seeks to enhance collaboration in political, economic, educational, environmental, consular and cultural sectors, while providing a structured framework for regular exchanges of views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.
Accordingly, Cabinet approval was granted for the resolution presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism to sign the MoU establishing the Political Consultation Mechanism between Sri Lanka and Finland.
Applications have been invited for the recruitment of graduates, both those currently employed in the public service and those who are not, to the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service, to fill existing vacancies in Sinhala, Tamil, and English mediums at National and Provincial schools across the country.
According to the Gazette notification, the online application process for graduates currently in the public service will open today (5) at 9:00 a.m. and close on 19 February at 9:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, applications have also been invited from graduates who are currently not employed in the public service to be recruited to the teaching service.
The online application process for the candidates will open on 20 February at 9:00 a.m. and conclude on 5 March at 9:00 a.m. Candidates are advised that applications can only be submitted through the official online system.
The relevant Gazette notification states that the application form is available on the official website of the Department of Examinations, www.doenets.lk, under the “Our Services” section by selecting “Online Applications – Recruitment Exams / E.B. Exams.”
From the Lecture Hall to the Global Market: How Sri Lankan students are mastering the “Gig Economy”
Is India a ‘swing state’? A response
Freedom for giants: What Udawalawe really tells about human–elephant conflict
Over 40,000 motorists pay traffic fines via GovPay
Lanka and Finland to establish political consultation mechanism
Recruitment of graduates as teachers: Applications open
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Business6 days agoHayleys Mobility ushering in a new era of premium sustainable mobility
-
Business3 days agoSLIM-Kantar People’s Awards 2026 to recognise Sri Lanka’s most trusted brands and personalities
-
Business6 days agoAdvice Lab unveils new 13,000+ sqft office, marking major expansion in financial services BPO to Australia
-
Business6 days agoArpico NextGen Mattress gains recognition for innovation
-
Business5 days agoAltair issues over 100+ title deeds post ownership change
-
Editorial6 days agoGovt. provoking TUs
-
Business5 days agoSri Lanka opens first country pavilion at London exhibition
-
Business4 days agoAll set for Global Synergy Awards 2026 at Waters Edge