<ul><li>No Provincial school recruitments as at 15 September</li><li>39,207 vacancies in Provincial schools</li><li>National teacher-student ratio at 15:47</li></ul> A total of 40,185 teacher vacancies remained unfilled at the end of 2025, but only 425 teachers have been recruited so far this year, with no recruitments made to Provincial schools as at 15 September, according to Education Ministry data obtained by The Daily Morning.The figures, provided by the Education Ministry in response to a Right to Information (RTI) request, show that 978 of the vacancies were in National schools, while the overwhelming majority – 39,207 – were in Provincial schools.Of the 40,185 vacancies recorded at the end of 2025, 978 were in National schools and 39,207 were in Provincial schools.The 978 vacancies in National schools comprised 693 Sinhala-medium, 18 Tamil-medium and 267 English-medium positions.Provincial schools accounted for the overwhelming majority of the vacancies, with 39,207 positions unfilled across the nine Provinces.The Central Province recorded the highest number of vacancies, with 6,961 positions unfilled, including 4,420 Sinhala-medium, 2,280 Tamil-medium and 261 English-medium vacancies.The Western Province had 5,153 vacancies, comprising 4,118 Sinhala-medium, 850 Tamil-medium and 185 English-medium positions, while the Eastern Province recorded 4,755 vacancies, including 1,284 Sinhala-medium, 3,426 Tamil-medium and 45 English-medium positions.The North Western Province had 4,413 vacancies, comprising 3,414 Sinhala-medium, 628 Tamil-medium and 371 English-medium positions, while Sabaragamuwa had 3,994 vacancies, including 3,051 Sinhala-medium, 857 Tamil-medium and 86 English-medium positions.The Northern Province recorded 3,866 vacancies, of which 72 were in Sinhala-medium schools, 3,760 in Tamil-medium schools and 34 in English-medium schools.The Uva Province had 3,852 vacancies, including 2,939 Sinhala-medium, 798 Tamil-medium and 115 English-medium positions. The North Central Province had 3,157 vacancies, comprising 2,630 Sinhala-medium, 485 Tamil-medium and 42 English-medium positions, while the Southern Province had 3,056 vacancies, including 2,906 Sinhala-medium, 49 Tamil-medium and 101 English-medium positions.The national teacher-student ratio was given as 15:47.In response to queries regarding teacher recruitments, the Ministry stated that 425 teachers had been recruited to National schools during 2026 as of the date of the RTI response.Of those recruited, 91 were diploma holders from National Colleges of Education recruited to Grade 3-I (b) of the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service. A further 25 graduates were recruited to Grade 3-I (a) to teach foreign language subjects, while 305 graduates were recruited to Grade 3-I (a) to teach 46 subjects, including General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Science and Technology subjects. Another four teachers were recruited to Grade 3-I (c) to fill English teacher vacancies.However, the Ministry’s response stated that no teachers had been recruited to Provincial schools, which account for the majority of teacher vacancies, as of 15 September.The figures come as the Government has announced plans to recruit 23,000 teachers this year to address the teacher shortage.Prime Minister and Education Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya said in Parliament on 8 September that an examination had already been held to recruit the 23,000 teachers and the recruitment process is expected to be completed within this year.She said the Government expected at least half of the existing teacher vacancies to be filled through the recruitment process.

Teachers’ shortage in 2026: 40,185 vacancies, just 425 recruits

<ul><li>NMRA unaware of circumstances behind Customs release</li><li>Chair says use not permitted due to missing labels</li></ul> The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has come under scrutiny over the Customs release of a consignment of around 190,000 cancer drug injections reportedly worth Rs 250 million, despite the drugs allegedly lacking the required labels and subsequently not being approved for use.The Medical and Civil Rights Professional Association of Doctors (MCPA) has called on the NMRA to explain how the consignment was released from Customs and who was responsible for clearing it.The drug in question is a granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) injection, which is administered to cancer patients, including children, following radiotherapy to help accelerate the recovery of the immune system.Speaking to The Daily Morning, MCPA President Dr Chamal Sanjeewa said the consignment had not been used since it was imported into Sri Lanka after it was found that the injections did not carry the required standard labelling.“If this is a questionable or unfit drug, the NMRA must reveal to the country who took steps to release this consignment from Customs,” he said.He said the NMRA is responsible for examining and approving relevant clearance reports, analytical reports and other documentation before medicines imported into Sri Lanka are released by Customs.“A system has been established under which a medicine cannot be brought into Sri Lanka without the NMRA approving its registration certificate, quality certificates, certificates of analysis, import control certificates, price certificates, labels and packaging certificates. The NMRA and the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation, which imported this medicine, must take responsibility for the importation of this consignment,” he said.Dr Sanjeewa alleged that responsible officials had so far failed to provide answers on the matter, leaving cancer patients facing uncertainty over the availability of medicines.“Ministers responsible for the subject have remained silent on the issue. As a result, doctors working at hospitals treating cancer patients have been posting on social media about difficulties in continuing to provide cancer patients with their required medicines and prescribed doses,” he said.When contacted by The Daily Morning, NMRA Chairperson Dr Ananda Wijewickrama said that the Authority was not aware of the circumstances under which the consignment had been released from Customs.“We don't know about the release from Customs. Our responsibility is to test medicines for quality and take appropriate action based on the results. In the same way, we found that these drugs did not have labels. We don't know what is in them, so we did not permit their use,” he said.

Customs clearance of cancer drug: Doctors’ group takes NMRA to task 

The National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDDCB) has not opposed the Government’s proposed move to allow suspects arrested with less than 100 grams (g) of drugs to seek bail from High Courts (HCs), saying the measure could help ease severe prison overcrowding.Informed sources at the NDDCB told The Daily Morning yesterday (21) that a large number of suspects arrested with relatively small quantities of drugs are being held in remand for long periods, adding to pressure on already overcrowded prisons.The sources said prison officers had reported that 11 or 12 prisoners are sometimes kept in a single cell, with some having to stand due to a lack of space.They said releasing suspects on bail while their cases continue could help address the problem, particularly as keeping people in remand for long periods also places an additional burden on the State.The Government is preparing to amend the law to allow suspects arrested with less than 100 g of drugs to seek bail from HCs. Justice Minister, Attorney Harshana Nanayakkara said the proposed change was prompted by delays in obtaining Government Analyst reports, which had resulted in suspects remaining in remand for long periods.Meanwhile, NDDCB sources said it was difficult to determine whether people released on bail would be more likely to reoffend. They noted that release on bail did not mean that a case would end, as suspects would still have to appear before court, while those committing another offence could be arrested again.However, the sources pointed out that there is currently no specific mechanism to provide rehabilitation to people released on bail.They said NDDCB rehabilitation centres generally receive people following a court order, including orders by Magistrates to refer them for rehabilitation for a specified period. People could also seek rehabilitation voluntarily.However, the sources said there needed to be a proper mechanism to refer people released on bail to rehabilitation services while ensuring that they continue to appear in court. Such a mechanism had not yet been identified, they said.

NDDCB open to bail for minor drug cases 

The proposed transfer of animal rabies control from the Health Ministry to veterinary authorities should be carried out gradually and systematically to avoid disrupting the country’s rabies control programme, Deputy Health Minister Dr Hansaka Wijemuni said.Speaking to The Daily Morning following concerns raised by Public Health Inspectors (PHIs), Dr Wijemuni said yesterday (21) that the proposed Rabies Eradication and Dog Registration Bill had not yet been presented to Parliament.He said the Bill covers two separate areas – human rabies and animal rabies – with human rabies handled by the Health Ministry and animal rabies coming under the veterinary authorities.“Human rabies is handled by the Ministry, while animal rabies comes under the veterinary authorities,” Dr Wijemuni said, adding that animal rabies control would come under the Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Ministry and the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH), which comes under the agriculture sector.He said Sri Lanka currently handles both human and animal rabies through the Health Ministry, unlike the system followed internationally, where veterinarians are responsible for animal rabies and medical doctors for human rabies.According to Dr Wijemuni, Sri Lanka continues to record around 20 to 25 deaths from rabies each year, while the Government’s target is to reduce the number to zero by 2030, in line with its plan submitted to the World Health Organisation.He said Sri Lanka needed to improve its progress, noting that countries which had similar levels of rabies deaths around 20 years ago had reduced their annual deaths to one or two or close to zero. Thailand was one such example, he said.“We may say that we have been successful if we compare the situation with 30 or 40 years ago. But every year should be better than the previous year. That is the real measure of success,” he said.Dr Wijemuni said dog vaccination coverage also remained inadequate, with at least 75% coverage needed to achieve the required targets. He identified the large stray-dog population as one of the challenges in reaching adequate coverage.He stressed that responsibility for animal rabies control should not be transferred abruptly, as the veterinary authorities did not currently have enough trained vaccinators to immediately take over the existing programme.“We have people who have been trained to administer the vaccines. Either the veterinary authorities have to use their own vaccinators, hire the people that we have trained, or request them from us,” he said.Dr Wijemuni also said the Health Ministry currently spends around Rs. 200 million from its budget on dog vaccination and other dog-related activities, adding that this expenditure should eventually be transferred to the veterinary authorities along with responsibility for animal rabies control.He said the Ministry also spends a larger amount on vaccinating people exposed to rabies, as it is often not known whether a dog involved in a bite had been vaccinated.“Even after doing all this, around 25 people are dying every year. Therefore, we cannot say that the present system is the best. We need to move towards a better system,” he said.Meanwhile, the PHIs Union has raised concerns about its role under the proposed Bill, noting that while Medical Officers of Health and Police officers are identified as authorised officers, PHIs are not included.The PHIs argued that their exclusion could create practical difficulties at the community level, given their existing involvement in dealing with dog-bite complaints, suspected rabies cases and dog-related issues.Dr Wijemuni said the success of the new system would depend on ensuring that responsibility is properly transferred from the Health Ministry to the relevant veterinary authorities.“The baton has to be properly passed from one side to the other,” he said.The Deputy Director General (Public Health Services) could not be reached for comment on the concerns raised by the PHIs.

 Rabies control shift must be systematic: Dy Minister 

The verdict in the case against 24 defendants facing more than 23,270 charges over alleged involvement in the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks is scheduled to be delivered today (22).The charges include conspiring to carry out the attacks and aiding and abetting those involved.The trial was heard before a three-Judge Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar bench comprising Judges Navaratne Marasinghe, Ramanathan Kannan and Sujeewa Nissanka.A total of 2,309 witnesses testified for the prosecution in the case filed by the Attorney General against the 24 defendants, including Naufer Mawlawi.Following daily hearings, the recording of evidence for both the prosecution and the defence concluded on 24 August.Upon the conclusion of the extensive trial, the Trial-at-Bar fixed today as the date for delivering the verdict.

 Main Easter attacks case verdict today  

Suspects spending up to two years in remand custody while awaiting forensic reports are contributing significantly to overcrowding in Sri Lankan prisons, with officials calling for urgent measures to expedite such reports and reduce the number of people awaiting trial behind bars.The issue was discussed at a meeting of the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, chaired by Government Parliamentarian Dr Najith Indika.Officials told the Committee that the growing number of suspects held on remand was a major contributor to prison overcrowding and that, in some instances, it exceeded the number of convicted prisoners.Delays in obtaining forensic reports, particularly in cases involving drug-related allegations, were identified as a key factor keeping suspects in remand custody for prolonged periods. Without the necessary reports, some suspects are unable to secure bail and remain in custody while awaiting further legal proceedings.Officials revealed that some suspects had spent between 18 months and two years in remand custody without the relevant forensic reports being completed.The Committee also discussed legal amendments that would allow people arrested for minor drug-related offences, particularly those suffering from addiction, to be referred to rehabilitation centres following medical assessment rather than being sent directly to prison.The use of remote technology and video conferencing for court proceedings was also highlighted as a way of reducing the need to physically transport inmates to courts. Officials said this could help ease the shortage of prison officers while reducing security risks associated with inmate transportation.Other measures discussed included exploring alternatives under existing laws for prisoners serving sentences of less than four years, minor offenders unable to pay fines and elderly prisoners or those requiring long-term medical treatment.A proposal was also put forward to introduce a special court procedure to expedite cases involving mothers imprisoned with children under five.The Committee further considered expanding prison infrastructure, renovating existing buildings, constructing the new Horana Prison complex and transferring inmates to facilities with lower levels of overcrowding.The need to strengthen community-based correctional and follow-up programmes was also emphasised to help prevent people released from prison from reoffending.&nbsp;

Forensic delays fuel prison overcrowding 

Around 43% of young Sri Lankans with postsecondary education are unemployed, according to data presented by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), highlighting a widening gap between educational qualifications and employment opportunities.The figure is significantly higher than the corresponding rate of around 19% for the rest of the world, placing Sri Lanka at the highest end of the IMF’s comparison of youth unemployment among those with advanced education.The data highlight the particularly difficult transition from education to employment facing young people in Sri Lanka and other South Asian economies, with more than four in every 10 young Sri Lankans with postsecondary qualifications represented as unemployed.The IMF has identified a broader regional problem in which highly educated young workers struggle to find jobs that match their qualifications. The situation reflects a persistent mismatch between the skills produced by education systems and those demanded by employers.For Sri Lanka, the challenge comes as the country continues to recover from a severe economic crisis that disrupted employment, incomes and household living standards. Young people entering the labour market also face the challenge of finding suitable employment in an economy undergoing structural and technological change, according to the IMF.The issue is becoming more pressing as artificial intelligence and automation transform workplaces. While new technologies have the potential to increase productivity, attract investment and generate new forms of employment, they may also reduce demand for some entry-level tasks if workers’ skills fail to keep pace with changing requirements.The IMF has stressed the need for education and reskilling systems to become more responsive to changing labour-market needs. Universities, vocational institutions and technical programmes need to ensure that graduates acquire skills that correspond with employer demand.For Sri Lanka, this means addressing not only the availability of jobs but also the quality and relevance of employment opportunities for graduates.Stronger links between universities, industry and skills-training institutions could help narrow the gap between educational qualifications and labour-market demand, the IMF noted.

43% educated youth: Qualification employment gap 

<ul><li>70 kmph winds forecast in affected sea areas</li><li>Flood warnings extended for Kuda and Gin rivers</li></ul> A Red Warning has been issued for strong winds and rough seas in deep-sea areas of the Bay of Bengal as two weather systems intensify, while heavy rain is expected to continue across several parts of Sri Lanka, particularly the south-west, the Meteorology Department said.The low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal was expected to intensify into a deep depression over the west-central Bay today (22) before moving towards the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts around 0000 Coordinated Universal Time tomorrow (23).Another low-pressure area over the Andaman Sea, northeast of Sri Lanka, is also expected to develop into a depression within the next 24 hours. Although it is not expected to directly affect Sri Lanka, its associated wind flow is likely to maintain rainy conditions, particularly in the south-western parts of the country.The Department forecast showers or thundershowers at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western Provinces and in the Galle and Matara Districts today, with heavy rainfall of around 100 mm possible in some areas.Several spells of showers are also expected in the North-Central Province and Mannar District, while showers or thundershowers are likely at several places in Uva Province and in Batticaloa and Ampara after 2 p.m.Strong winds of 40–50 kmph may occur at times over the western slopes of the Central Hills, North-Central and North-Western Provinces and in the Trincomalee, Hambantota and Matale Districts.In the sea areas under the “Advisory” category, winds are expected to reach 55–65 kmph at times, with rough to very rough seas. Winds in areas under the “Warning” category could reach 70 kmph, while heavy thundershowers may cause very rough seas.Naval and fishing communities have been advised not to venture into the affected sea areas until further notice, while those already at sea have been urged to move away and closely monitor further forecasts.Meanwhile, the highest rainfall recorded during the past few hours was 104 mm in Maliboda, Kegalle. Kalupahana recorded 95.5 mm, Maskeliya 85.5 mm, Polpithigama 85 mm and Dammulla 82.5 mm.The Irrigation Department has extended flood warnings for the Kuda River sub-basin of the Kalu River and the Gin River basin for a further 24 hours.Irrigation Director Engineer L.S. Sooriyabandara said the upper catchments of the Kelani River had received 100–125 mm of rain over the past 24 hours, while most other river basins recorded 50–80 mm.He said water levels in the upper catchments of the Gin and Nilwala rivers remained elevated following rainfall exceeding 200 mm two days ago, posing a minor flood risk to areas including Baddegama, Udugama, Akuressa and Thalgahagoda. The Kuda River at Millakanda was also approaching minor flood levels.Water levels in the Kelani River at Hanwella and Avissawella remained high, while levels in the Mahaweli River and Attanagalu Oya were receding but remained close to warning levels.The Irrigation Department has warned the public against entering inundated areas or engaging in water-based activities, stressing that such activities are extremely dangerous.

Red warning as heavy rain persist

The Government is pursuing legal and diplomatic avenues to secure a pardon for Sri Lankan national Sivarasa Anojan, who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.President Dissanayake said he met Anojan’s parents at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday morning (21) and briefed them on the measures being taken to assist their son.He said the Government would make a formal written diplomatic appeal to the King of Saudi Arabia seeking a pardon for Anojan, while continuing to intervene through both legal and diplomatic channels.The President also informed the family of measures already taken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including appeals submitted to the relevant authorities.He assured Anojan’s parents that the Government was closely and continuously monitoring the progress of efforts to secure a pardon.

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Customs clearance of cancer drug: Doctors’ group takes NMRA to task

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