Premier directs new formula to overcome teacher shortage
The Education Ministry, on a directive from Prime Minister (PM) Ranil Wickremesinghe, will soon introduce a new formula for recruitment and placement of teachers, following revelations that some of the schools are overstaffed while others are understaffed.
Education Ministry Secretary, W.M. Bandusena told Education Times that, with the implementation of the new formula, the Government will be able to resolve the issue of teachershortages by transferring teachers to places which have actual vacancies, and by recruiting to fill the shortages.
He said the formula will be applicable to teachers, both in schools coming under the purview of the Provincial Councils and National schools. "Currently, transfers to these two sectors are treated differently but, with the new policy, they will be treated under the same category," he added.
He said, as an initial step, they will identify the shortage of teachers to schools, as well as schools which have additional teachers.
Current estimates show that, some 20,000 teachers will be needed to overcome the shortage of teachers.
Mr Bandusena said there were instances where teachers were performing non-Educational activities such as serving in the Education Dept and Ministry, thereby creating a shortage of teachers.
The PM has directed that, those teachers serving in nonEducational activities should be drawn back into the teach- ing service.
Under the system, the Ministry will recruit teachers to meet their immediate requirements. "If the requirement is graduate teachers, and we do not have graduate teachers, the next option will be to recruit those with GCE A/Ls and ensure they complete their Degree in the process within a specified period," he added.
The Ministry will also take into consideration the number of teachers who leave teaching, as some of them move into the Education Ministry or Dept services.
Mr Bandusena said the objective was to ensure that the scheme is operational within a 2-year period, to ensure there were no shortage of teachers in schools.
- Damith Wickremesekara