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Islandwide teacher shortage by 2022

16 Sep 2021

  • TUs warn over 50,000 retirees early 2022
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The teachers trade unions (TUs) have warned of a huge shortage of teachers arising in schools Islandwide by 2022, if the Government does not take immediate action to recruit teachers for all schools under the Provincial Councils and the Central Government. Speaking to The Morning, the Ceylon Teachers Union (CTU) President Priyantha Fernando claimed that more than 50,000 teachers currently in service are due to retire by the beginning of 2022. In addition, according to him, there are currently around 25,000 vacancies for teachers in the education sector. “Nearly 50,000 of the current teachers were recruited between 1989 and 1992, given the shortage of teachers at that time and they will complete their term of service by 2022. With the simultaneous retirement of as many as 50,000 teachers, there could be a huge shortage of teachers,” he warned. Fernando added that in addition to that, an average of 7,000 to 8,000 vacancies for teachers are created in the education sector annually. “Around 7,000 to 8,000 teachers retire each year. However, that number of vacancies can be filled to some extent as more than 4,000 join the teaching profession each year from the colleges of education, but when a large number such as 50,000 teachers retire, more teachers must be recruited,” he noted. Attempts to contact Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Education Ministry Secretary Prof. Kapila Perera to inquire as to whether there is any plan for the recruitment of teachers, were not successful. Fernando also said that as a solution to this, the graduates who have recently been recruited as Development Officers should be recruited to the permanent teaching service. When queried as to which areas would be most affected due to the possible shortage of teachers, Fernando opined that it would have a major impact on schools, especially in the North, North Central, and Eastern Provinces and in the plantation based areas.


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