The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, I table the detailed answer.

¶ 02 (a) (i) Yes.

¶ 03 (ii) 625 candidates sat the 2020/2021 (held in 2022) examination for recruitment to Grade III of the SLEAS on the basis of service experience and merit. Based on results, details of 68 successful candidates were forwarded by the Education Services Committee of the Public Service Commission to this Ministry.

¶ 04 (iii) Yes.

¶ 05 (iv) Yes. As per Gazette No. 2231 of 2021.06.04, applications were called for 67 vacancies; accordingly, the 68 officers with the highest marks and service experience were called for interview.

¶ 06 (v) First-round interviews were held on 18 and 19 May 2024; the second round on 2025.01.15.

¶ 07 (vi) Candidates called: - First round: 62 - Second round: 4 - Total: 68

¶ 08 (vii) Criteria are as set out in Clauses 8.2 and 8.3 of Gazette No. 2231 of 2021.06.04 (Annex 01 tabled).

¶ 09 (viii) As per Clause 8.3.1(b), marks were not assigned to candidates for the general interview; hence individual interview scores are not available.

¶ 10 (b) (i) Appointments have been made by the Education Services Committee of the PSC based on vacancies, exam results and interview suitability.

¶ 11 (ii) Appointments were granted effective 2022.03.26, with letters issued to 61 officers on 2024.07.03 and to 4 officers on 2025.03.03.

¶ 12 (iii) Total appointments: 65 - 2024.07.03 (first batch): 61 - 2025.03.03 (second batch): 4

¶ 13 (iv) Yes. As appointments were effective from the examination date (2022.03.26), six officers who were in active service then but had retired by the date of issuance of appointment letters were also appointed.

¶ 14 (v) Names of those retired appointees are tabled in Annex 02.

¶ 15 (vi) Although applications were called in 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent fiscal constraints, circulars (Treasury Circulars 03/2021 and 03/2022; and Presidential Secretary’s Circular PS/SB/Circular/10/2022) suspended or deferred new recruitments, causing delays. Consequently, by the time appointments were issued, some eligible candidates had reached retirement; hence appointments were made effective from 2022.03.26.

¶ 16 (c) Not applicable.