Ed. Ministry proposes to recruit Development Assistants as teachers

As many as 8000 teachers and 3000 principals set to retire soon

The Education Ministry has sought Cabinet approval to recruit Development Assistants as teachers in an attempt to fill in the vacancies arising later this year by reducing the retirement age to 60 years.

As result of reducing the retirement age from 65 years to 60 as many as 8,000 teachers, 3000 principals, 100 Education Service officers and 92 Administrative Service officers in the Education Sector will be retiring.

However, the main concern has been the number of teachers retiring as it is more than 3,000 higher than the usual amount.

Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said to overcome the situation a competitive exam would be held at provincial level among development assistants so they could be recruited as teachers.

Development Assistants had already been recruited under the graduate employment scheme and had been assigned to various state institutions, but some were reportedly under-employed.

Minister Premajayantha said to avoid the sudden shortfall they planned out the scheme and the exam would be held next month.

He said around 8,000 students are due to pass out as teachers from education colleges next month and they too would fill in other vacancies as well.

He also said among the education officials several additional secretaries are due to retire and a request had been made to grant them an extension to ensure that the education sector would not be affected. However that extension would be for about six months only.

“These measures have been taken so the education sector will not be affected in any way,” the minister added.