The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education
As of the response, there were 903 vacancies in the Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service and 3,790 in the Sri Lanka Principals’ Service. The Prime Minister stated that recent SLEAS appointments had been made through open, limited, and experience/skills streams, with further viva examinations and later competitive examinations planned to fill remaining and newly arising vacancies, while SLPS recruitment would proceed through a limited competitive examination under the relevant Service Minute. She clarified that entry from the Teachers’ Service to the Principals’ Service is treated as fresh recruitment, not promotion, but said a Cabinet Memorandum is being prepared to seek approval to apply pay-fixation provisions similar to promotions for such appointments. Mandatory SLPS training requirements include induction training and capacity development courses before promotion to higher grades.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, the answer to the question is as follows.
¶ 02 (a) (i) Vacancies: - Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service (SLEAS): 903 - Sri Lanka Principals’ Service (SLPS): 3,790
¶ 03 (ii) Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service: Appointments to fill vacancies existing as at 30.06.2021 have been made, based on written and viva examinations, as follows: - Open stream: 88 appointments on 01.07.2025 - Limited stream: 411 appointments on 23.10.2025, 01.09.2025, and 01.12.2025 - Experience and skills stream: 67 appointments on 01.07.2024 and 03.03.2025
¶ 04 As some appointees did not assume duties and many candidates have scores tied at the cutoff, further viva examinations are scheduled in the second week of March 2026 (for 3 limited-stream and 25 open-stream vacancies) to complete remaining vacancies as at above dates.
¶ 05 After completion, competitive examinations will be held, with Public Service Commission approval, to fill new vacancies arising between 30.06.2021 and 31.06.2025 under open, limited, and experience/skills streams.
¶ 06 Sri Lanka Principals’ Service: In accordance with the SLPS Service Minute (Gazette Extraordinary No. 1885/31 of 22.10.2014, as amended), applications have been called by Gazette No. 2463 of 14.11.2025 for the limited competitive written examination for new recruitment. The Department of Examinations will conduct the written test in due course.
¶ 07 (iii) Recruitment to the SLPS from the Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service through a limited competitive examination is not considered a promotion; it is treated as fresh recruitment.
¶ 08 (iv) The Sri Lanka Teachers’ Service (SLTS) and the SLPS are two distinct services governed by separate Service Minutes (SLTS: Gazette Extraordinary No. 1885/83 of 23.10.2014, as amended; SLPS: Gazette Extraordinary No. 1885/31 of 22.10.2014, as amended). Under the SLPS Service Minute, only confirmed SLTS officers who meet the basic qualifications stipulated in the Principals’ Service Minute are eligible to enter SLPS. Ministry Circular 03/2014 and Establishments Code Vol. I, Chapter VII, Section 4 require that pay be set treating entry as new recruitment.
¶ 09 However, on the guidance of the Director General of Establishments, action is being taken to submit a new Cabinet Memorandum seeking approval to apply Public Administration Circular 05/2017 provisions (pay fixation on appointment from a specifically designated other service/post, i.e., to treat it akin to a promotion under Establishments Code Vol. I, Chapter VII, Section 5) when fixing pay of SLTS officers entering SLPS.
¶ 10 (v) Under Section 13 of the SLPS Service Minute, the following mandatory training requirements exist for skill and capacity development: - Induction training - Capacity Development Course I (prior to promotion to Grade II) - Capacity Development Course II (prior to promotion to Grade I)
¶ 11 Additionally, periodic capacity-building and awareness programmes are conducted at provincial, zonal, and divisional levels as needed.
¶ 12 (b) Not applicable.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Friday, 6 March 2026 ·No. 23376 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 6 March 2026. No. 23376. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/5098