While the government has announced plans to recruit 7,456 new employees into the public service this year, the State, Provincial, and Government Trade Union Alliance has raised concerns that this number falls significantly short of the over 50,000 vacancies that currently exist in essential services across the country. The alliance warns that the continued shortage of personnel is severely affecting the efficiency and functionality of key government institutions.
Ajith Thilakaratne, Secretary of the Alliance, stated that the public management service alone has over 7,000 unfilled positions, impacting the administration of government institutions, salary processing for public servants, and file maintenance. The education sector is facing a critical teacher shortage, with over 20,000 vacancies, which has directly affected classroom learning and educational standards.
The health sector is also struggling due to a lack of medical staff, leading to longer patient wait times, understaffed hospitals, and increased pressure on existing healthcare workers. The railway and postal services, both crucial for public transportation and communication, are also experiencing severe workforce shortages that have led to service delays and inefficiencies.
Thilakaratne further pointed out that nearly 8,000 vacancies exist within educational and non-academic services, with many schools facing shortages of administrative staff and school guards, compromising both security and smooth operations.
He noted that while some government institutions are reportedly overstaffed in certain areas, there is a lack of effort in reallocating employees to departments that require urgent staffing. He urged the government to reassess workforce distribution and prioritize filling essential service vacancies to ensure efficient governance and public service delivery.
The union has called on the government to take immediate action to fill these vacancies, warning that failure to do so could further weaken essential public services and disrupt operations in key sectors. Thilakaratne emphasized that a well-functioning paublic sector is vital for economic stability, national development, and effective service delivery to citizens, making the recruitment of qualified personnel a pressing priority.
