The Hon. (Dr.) Madhura Senevirathna - Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, I table the answer.

¶ 02 (a) (i) Yes.

¶ 03 (ii) It has been reported that the school has teacher and staff shortages, and among resource gaps, desks and chairs will be provided shortly. However, analyses of the last four years of GCE (O/L) and GCE (A/L) results and the School Education Quality Index (SEQI) from external assessments over the past three years do not indicate an academic setback per se, though teacher shortages have affected school education activities.

¶ 04 (iii) Across the system there are significant vacancies in teacher, combined service and non-combined service posts, and measures are underway to fill them. Furniture shortages are noted and being addressed. We expect the school’s educational activities to improve after meeting these needs.

¶ 05 (b) (i) Academic staff: - Grades 6–11: Approved 57; In service 40; Vacant 17 - A/L Grades: Approved 8; In service 3; Vacant 5

¶ 06 Non-academic staff: - One School Security Officer and one Sanitary Labourer are in service. The Zonal Education Office, Kilinochchi, states that no approved non-academic cadre exists at present for provincial schools.

¶ 07 (ii) As the school has been converted to a National School, non-academic combined service and non-combined service cadres are being formulated based on criteria issued by the Department of Management Services. By letter ED/05/67/17/18 dated 2025.11.02, proposals were sent to the Director General of Management Services as follows:

¶ 08 Combined Service: - Development Officer / Management Service Officer – 01

¶ 09 Non-Combined Service: - Laboratory Attendant – 01 - Work Aide – 01 - Technical Workshop Attendant – 01 - Technical Workshop Assistant – 01 - School Security – 03 - Sanitary Labourer – 02

¶ 10 (iii) Once the above is approved, vacancies will be filled. One building is under construction and is expected to be completed and commissioned within 2026.

¶ 11 (iv) Required desks and chairs are being arranged for provision during 2026.

¶ 12 (v) Academic staff: - Special Gazette notifications No. 2474/18 and 2474/19 dated 2026.02.02 and No. 2476/18 dated 2026.02.18 have called applications to recruit graduates and other degree-holders to Sri Lanka Teacher Service for Sinhala, Tamil and English medium vacancies in national and provincial schools. Recruitment processes are underway for 2026. - Additionally, National Diploma in Teaching (NIE) diploma-holders of the 2022–2024 batch will be eligible for recruitment during the first quarter of 2027 to fill teacher vacancies in national and provincial schools. Identified teacher vacancies in Kili/Mulankavil MV can be addressed through these intakes.

¶ 13 Non-academic staff: - Vacancies will be filled after approvals referred to in (ii).

¶ 14 (c) Not applicable.