Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the government has paid close attention to the salary anomalies prevailing within the teacher and principal services and that prompt solutions will be provided following extensive discussions held with trade unions.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while responding to questions raised in Parliament on Friday (06).

Presenting data on existing vacancies in the education sector, the Prime Minister explained the current situation.

There are 903 vacancies existing in the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service (SLEAS) and 3,790 vacancies in Sri Lanka Principals’ Service (SLPS).

In order to fill the vacancies which still remain due to various reasons, including selected officers not accepting appointments after the examinations and interviews conducted since 2021, interviews are scheduled to be held in the second week of March 2026.

Further, in order to fill the vacancies for the years 2021 and 2025, competitive examinations will be conducted in the future with the approval of the Public Service Commission.

At present, entry into the Principals’ Service is considered as a new recruitment. As a solution to the salary-related issue arising in this regard, a new Cabinet paper is being prepared seeking approval to consider appointments to the Principals’ Service as a promotion, thereby enabling appropriate salary conversion.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that sustainable solutions are required not only for salary issues in the education sector but also for salary-related concerns in several other sectors. Accordingly, the government plans to appoint a new Salary Commission. Through this commission, the government expects to provide lasting solutions to the issues faced by teachers and principals within this year.

In accordance with the service minute of the Principals’ Service, several training programmes have been made mandatory for the professional development of principals.

These include, Induction training at the beginning of service, capacity development training prior to promotion to Grade II and Grade I, and periodic awareness programmes conducted at provincial and zonal levels.

The Prime Minister further stated that discussions are undertaking with the Department of Management Services regarding the proposals submitted by principals’ associations. Based on the responses received, the government is prepared to take the necessary steps through the Cabinet of Ministers.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had visited the eastern front line as Ukraine and Russia ⁠completed a two-day prisoner-of-war swap, exchanging 500 soldiers each.

The swap, which included the exchange of 200 soldiers each on Thursday and another 300 each on Friday, came as US-brokered peace negotiations remained deadlocked, with a planned trilateral meeting this week shelved due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Two Ukrainian civilians were also returned home.

Video posted by Zelenskyy of the exchange showed dozens of men stepping off white buses, waving and embracing border guards. One soldier, phone to his ear, could be heard telling his mother: “I am at home. That’s it, I am home.”

US special envoy Steve Witkoff credited the swap to “sustained and detailed peace discussions” held in Geneva under the direction of President Donald Trump, thanking Switzerland for hosting the negotiations.

“Discussions remain ongoing,” Witkoff wrote, “with additional progress anticipated in the weeks ahead.”

On Friday, Zelenskyy travelled to positions near Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces have massed before an anticipated spring offensive, to visit soldiers from the 28th separate mechanised brigade.

He told troops on the front line that their efforts were vital in strengthening Ukraine’s position in future peace talks.

“The stronger we are in the eastern direction,” he told troops, “the stronger we are in the talks process.”

[Aljazeera]

The UNP yesterday (06) voiced concern over, what it described as, the continued silence of the Sri Lankan government regarding the sinking of an Iranian vessel by a US submarine within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In a statement, the UNP questioned whether the government had been informed, in advance, by the United States of the military action carried out within Sri Lanka’s EEZ, particularly within the framework of the Colombo Security Conclave.

The party warned that such developments had effectively turned Sri Lanka’s EEZ into a war zone, posing potential risks to commercial maritime activity.

Full text of the UNP statement: The United National Party is concerned over the continued silence of the Sri Lankan government regarding the sinking of an Iranian vessel by a US submarine in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The government must disclose to the Sri Lankan public whether they were informed by America prior to the military action that was carried out in the country’s EEZ, and within the ambit of the Colombo Security Conclave.

These actions have resulted in our EEZ being turned into a warzone which will have a detrimental impact on our commercial interests. Shipping costs and insurance are expected to increase, impacting the country’s economy, including the cost of living.

The government of Sri Lanka must seek assurance from the United of States of America that further military action will not be conducted in the vicinity of the country. The government must also discuss the potential economic impact with the relevant shipping companies and insurance authorities.