- Points out Subodini Committee recommendations
In the wake of the Government’s decision to appoint a commission through the 2026 Budget to look into salary anomalies in the public service, the Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) stated there is no need for teachers’ and principals’ salary anomalies to be examined further, and what’s required now is action to resolve the issue.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, CTU President Priyantha Fernando said that although this is the National People’s Power (NPP) Government’s second budget, the long-standing salary anomaly issue affecting teachers and principals is yet to be resolved. “In the first budget, they did not solve this issue, and in the second budget, they have not solved it either.”
He noted that a proposal has been made through the Budget to appoint a commission to look into salary anomalies in government services, but insisted that such a move is unnecessary in their case: “The Subodini Committee (a committee which previously looked into the issue) has already studied this issue and made the necessary recommendations, which was approved by a Cabinet sub-committee. There is no need for any new commissions. This is merely a tactic to drag the matter further and for the Government to avoid responsibility.”
He further said they are disappointed the Government continues to delay the implementation of solutions to their issue, and warned that continuous trade union action will be launched over this issue next year (2026).
Earlier, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education stated that it does not have the authority to make direct decisions regarding salary anomalies affecting teachers and principals, and the Ministry of Finance would make the necessary decisions. In 2021, the then-Government led by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a Cabinet sub-committee to study the issue following a prolonged strike by teachers’ and principals’ unions. Based on the committee’s recommendations, a partial salary adjustment was granted, with a promise that the remaining disparities would be resolved later. However, trade unions maintain the anomaly remains unresolved to this day.