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.