The Secretary of the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Union, Joseph Stalin, has accused the government of failing to address salary increases for teachers and principals in this year’s budget, despite prior commitments.
Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo, Stalin stated that the Welfare Committee’s report, which had outlined a salary revision, was completely disregarded. He emphasized that teachers and principals had fought hard to eliminate salary discrepancies, expecting an increase in their pay along with other public servants.
He recalled that in 2022, only one-third of the promised salary adjustment was granted, following the Welfare Committee’s recommendations. Last year, a major struggle was waged against the Ranil Rajapaksa government to obtain the remaining two-thirds, but it has yet to be fulfilled.
Stalin also challenged the Prime Minister’s claim that the principal service ranks seventh and the teacher service ranks eighth in the salary structure. He argued that this information is false, stating that the teacher service actually ranks 12th. He further pointed out that after 1997, the salary structures of special-grade nurses, upper-class management service officers, and the police—all of whom were once below the teacher grade—have been significantly increased.
He highlighted the severe shortage of teachers, with 30,000 vacancies remaining unfilled, and criticized the inadequate funding for school maintenance. Additionally, he condemned the government for failing to remove the 18% VAT on schoolchildren’s equipment, calling it a major burden on parents.
