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Teachers satisfied, increases done on systematic basis: Minister
Increases for teachers set out in a circular issued by the Ministry of Education last Wednesday (12) came under severe criticism from several trade unions, while the Minister of Education scoffed at the criticism saying the teachers were well satisfied.
“All the teachers are happy with the increases. These have been effected on a systematic basis and accordingly these teachers will be granted these increments,” Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said.
We also hope to grant several teacher promotions before December 31,” he added.
“The Government has issued a new gazette notification and a circular has also been issued to give effect to this notification. In both these notifications the teachers’ salaries were not increased as expected. They were increased only by a small margin. For example in the interim proposal made in 2008, Rs. 25,515 was agreed to be given to these teachers but under the new circular only Rs. 21,750 was agreed on,” Ceylon Teachers’ Services Union Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe said.
The circular issued by the Ministry of Education stated that the salary increments for the teachers would be granted from January 1, 2011.The teachers should be given the arrears due from July 1, 2008. But they were given from January 1, 2011, 30 months arrears less,” Mr. Jayasinghe said.
Ceylon Teachers Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin said the union would take several measures to ensure that the teachers are granted fair salary increments.
“We will continue to have strikes in each province and we will take measures to stage an all island teacher strike in Colombo, taking this matter to courts if we have to.”
“We rejected a salary increment that was proposed in 2008. That was a small grant and we wanted an interim salary proposal. The then Education Minister Susil Premajayantha agreed to this and put up a Cabinet Paper proposing Rs. 25,515 a month be given to the teachers, but this was refused. We now ask that the same figure be given”, Mr. Stalin said.
“Currently Rs.21,645 is the starting monthly salary of a teacher and with the proposed increase in the circular it will be a Rs. 125 increase. This is not enough. In addition, the basic salary of a Grade two and Grade three teacher is Rs.13,410. This is ridiculous because the starting salary of a State servant is Rs.15,000,” Mr. Stalin added.
- Joshua Surendraraj
| The circular issued by the Ministry of Education stated that the salary increments for the teachers would be granted from January 1, 2011.The teachers should be given the arrears due from July 1, 2008. But they were given from January 1, 2011, 30 months arrears less |