The report of the committee appointed by The Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha for the purpose of solving the problems of the principal service that are unsolved so far and to promote the professionality of that service to suit the education reforms, was handed over to the minister.
Studies of issues and the presentation of relevant recommendations have been done under six main points in this report. The matters such as the development of principal service as a recognized profession, preparing national policies about the principal service, revision of service minute and streamline as appropriate for the future, role of the principal, responsibilities and accountability, opportunities for skills development, privileges, salaries and allowances of principals and the work load of implementing the educational reforms are included in this report.
In consideration of the service upliftment of the principals, deputy principals and vice principals belonging to i, ii and iii grades of the principal service in which there are more than 16,000 officers now and the new requirements of the school system, it has been recommended to create a principal super grade. Salary revisions and removing the salary anomalies, increasing the principal allowance from Rs. 6000.00 to Rs. 15000.00, several concessions for communication, travelling allowances, vehicles and houses that are provided to the public officers and a special allowance for the principals serving in difficult areas are among the recommendations of the committee report.
The minister stated at the meeting of union representatives and the education officers that these committee recommendations are implemented through the approval of the cabinet of ministers, revisions of the service minutes, ministry circulars and the education reforms.
Including the chairperson of this committee the advisor to the minister Professor Gunapala Nanayakkara, former Establishment Director Generals M.A. Dharmadasa, Padma Siriwardana, former Commissioner General of Examinations Sanath Pujitha, Retired Accountant S.W. Gamage worked as the members of this committee.
This report will be published in the web site of the Ministry of Education (www.moe.gov.lk) from the coming 01st of February.
