Rs. 902 million to settle teacher’s salary increments and arrears

The Education Ministry will release Rs. 902.94 million covering all nine provincial councils to settle teachers’ salary arrears and increments due from 2006, the ministry announced yesterday.

Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has instructed officials to take steps to pay salary arrears and increments. Accordingly, Rs. 902.94 million has been sent to Provincial Directors of Education to be paid to the teachers at national schools, assisted schools and Buddhist Pirivenas.

The total amount of Rs. 902 million has already been dispatched to the provinces in order to pay the salary arrears and increments proportionately Rs. 212.77 million to the Western Province, Rs. 76.16 million to the Central Province, Rs. 41.12 million to the North Central Province, Rs. 170.94 million to the North Western Province, Rs. 41.04 million to the Uva Province, Rs. 146.80 million to the Southern Province, Rs. 98.88 million to the Eastern Province, Rs. 107.38 million to the Sabaragamuwa Province and Rs. 7.82 million to the Northern Province.

The problem of following correct salary scales and the inability to pay salary increments was due to the long delay in getting approval for the new service minutes of the Sri Lanka Teacher Service and Sri Lanka Principals’ Service along with all the other service minutes according to circular No. 6/2006 during the last administrative period, the ministry said.