- Says 25% of basic salary added as allowance instead of separate study allowance
The Federation of University Teachers' Associations (FUTA) said that the Treasury is yet to increase the proposed academic allowance given to university teachers and that instead, 25% of the basic salary has been added to the salary as an allowance.
Earlier this year (2024), the Cabinet of Ministers green-lit President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal seeking to increase the study allowance granted to university lecturers by 25%. It was decided that this allowance would be included in their January salary.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (20), the FUTA Spokesperson, Senior Lecturer Charudaththe Ilangasinghe said that while the Cabinet granted approval to increase the academic allowance by 25%, the said decision has been misinterpreted by the relevant authorities when implementing the decision. Therefore, he said that they hoped that the Treasury will take necessary measures to give the academic allowance as an increase as has originally been decided by the Cabinet. However, Ilangasinghe further noted that 25% of their basic salary has been given to them as an allowance since earlier this year (2024). “According to the particular Cabinet decision, the ‘academic allowance' should be increased by 25%. But, it did not happen. Instead, 25% of the basic salary is given as an allowance increase. These are two different things. We think that the Cabinet decision has been misinterpreted, and the Treasury is yet to give us the academic allowance increase that was approved by the Cabinet,” he added. When he was queried as to whether the FUTA is to launch any action demanding the allowance increase that they are entitled to, as was claimed by the Opposition during arguments that took place in the Parliament yesterday in relation to the salary increase of Central Bank officials, he stated that the FUTA has not organised any such protest with regard to the matter.
The State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was unavailable for comment.