News
Dinesh refuses to divulge details of teachers’ salary hikes
By Saman Indrajith
Leader of the House and Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday told Parliament that he was not ready to make the mistake of revealing budget secrets by informing the House of the salary increments to be given to teachers and principals.
Responding to a question raised by JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Minister said salaries of teachers and principals would be increased in several phases.
The Minister said that the salary anomaly crisis prevailing in the teacher service would be resolved by Budget 2022.
Minister Gunawardena said that arrangements had been made to reopen schools starting from 21 Oct., and it was the duty of all parliamentarians irrespective of their political difference to support the resumption of school education system. “Overwhelming numbers of teachers are waiting to report to work. Various trade unions have been responding to our call to get back to teaching online and report to work once the schools reopen,” the Minister said.
“We completed the vaccination of school teachers last month. The vaccination of the non-academic staff such as the security guards and canteen support staff, is almost complete, under the national vaccination drive.”
The Minister said: “It is our understanding that the vast majority of teachers want to get back to school and help students with their studies. There must not be any action to sabotage this effort, especially when the government has been sensitive to their woes and accepted that they have genuine grievances that need to be rectified. Action has been taken. We have given them our word. All we need is time to deliver upon our promises.”
Minister Gunawardena said that the government was prepared to sit down with the trade union again on the solutions provided via the budget to the salary anomalies faced by teachers and principals.
He said the proclamation on declaring the teachers and principal services as inclusive services will be made in Nov 2021.
NPP Parliamentarian Asoka Ranwala who was appointed the 22nd Speaker of Sri Lanka’s Parliament, on 21st November has resigned from his position today [13], in the wake of the controversy surrounding his educational qualifications.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has officially appointed members to the Port City Economic Commission.
Accordingly Harsha Amarasekera, President’s Counsel, has been appointed as the Chairman while Damien Amal Cabraal, Mohan Ray Abeywardena, Sanjaya Kulatunga, and Dr. Harsha Subasinghe were appointed as members of the Port City Economic Commission
The official letters of appointment were handed over to the members by the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today (13).
“We will not allow the trust the people have placed in us to be undermined in any way,” stated President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a meeting with the heads of state media today (13).
He further emphasised, “Regardless of their status in government, if mistakes are made, we will not hesitate to take appropriate action.”
The President further explained:
“For more than seven decades, the people of this nation have built and dismantled various governments. For the first time, we stand with a profound understanding of the historic mandate entrusted to us and the National People’s Power on two occasions.
The people placed their faith in the National People’s Power (NPP) government, hoping for a standardised and stable country. We will not tarnish that extraordinary trust, even by the slightest misconduct.
Simply put, our government is not here to shield anyone who errs, for any reason. Be it within the broader framework of the country or within our administration, anyone found guilty of wrongdoing will face consequences. We will not hesitate to act decisively and at the right time. In essence, our government will not shield anyone who makes a mistake, regardless of the reason. Whether the mistake occurs within the country or at any level within our government, we will not hesitate to take decisive action. Every necessary step will be taken at the appropriate time without delay.”
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also reaffirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to upholding the trust placed in them by the people, who have endured decades of deception. He pledged to work tirelessly to build a better nation.
The Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, Director-General of Government Information, Harsha Bandara, and the heads of state media were present at the meeting.
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