PARLIAMENT

• A Cabinet Paper for the purpose of Paying the Current Adjustment Allowance to In-Service Advisors as Salary Increase

Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education paid attention to the concerns pertaining to absorbing teachers into the In-Service Advisors.

In order to discuss matters pertaining to the said, the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, met in Parliament recently (Sep. 07) under the Chairmanship of Hon. (Dr.) V. Radhakrishnan.

A discussion pertaining to the issues of In-Service Advisors was held on the 11th of August previously in the Parliament and this meeting was called specifically according to the decision that the matter should be discussed again with the participation of all parties related to the issue.

Accordingly, its Secretary M. N. Ranasinghe presented the matter before the Committee on the steps taken by the Ministry of Education to resolve the issues that have arisen in the integration of teachers from the teaching service as In-Service Advisors. He further mentioned that the Minister of Education has also focused his attention on this, and accordingly, there were discussions on this matter under the leadership of the Minister of Education on two occasions.

The officials of the Ministry of Education informed the Committee that arrangements have been made to submit a Cabinet paper to obtain the approval of the Cabinet to pay the adjustment allowance currently paid to teacher consultants as a salary increase.

Furthermore, it was disclosed that the necessary steps have already been taken to prepare instructions on the general responsibility of In-Service Advisors. Moreover, it was disclosed that the Minister responded well to the request made by the In-Service Advisors to give them the opportunity to participate in the Committee meetings as a member of the regional technical Committees.

The Committee Chair recommended to the officials present that the proposed cabinet paper should be submitted promptly to obtain the approval of the cabinet for the payment of the adjustment allowance currently paid to In-Service Advisors as a salary increase. Further instructions were given to submit a report on the said to the Committee within a month.

Members of the Committee Wimalaweera Dissanayake, Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Hon. Kulasingam Thileepan, Hon. Asanka Nawaratne, Hon. (Mrs.) Muditha Prishanthi, Hon. Mayadunna Chinthaka Amal, Hon. (Mrs.) Manjula Dissanayake, Hon. (Prof.) Charitha Herath were present at the Committee meeting held.

Furthermore, Hon. Lasantha Alagiyawanna, State Minister of Transport, Members of Parliament Hon. Chandima Weerakkody, Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala, Hon. Kapila Athukorala, Hon. Kumarasiri Rathnayaka, Hon. (Mrs.) Rajika Wickramasinghe was also present on the permission of the Committee Chair.

A group of officials representing the Public Service Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policy, Sri Lanka Examinations Department, National Institute of Education and all Provincial Education Departments also as well as a group representing the teachers' unions also participated in this meeting.