A discussion on the development of education in the Northern Province was held between the Hon. Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, and the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, at the Governor’s Secretariat on Saturday afternoon (02.08.2025).
The Governor submitted a request to address the existing personnel vacancies in the education sector of the Northern Province. He also expressed his appreciation for the approval that had been granted to fill several other vacant positions. In response, the Hon. Prime Minister outlined the steps currently being taken to address staffing shortages, particularly concerning teacher appointments.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to give greater attention to students in underprivileged villages of the Northern Province and stressed the importance of equitable resource distribution across the region. She also expressed concern over the Northern Province’s recent decline in performance in the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (O/L) Examination.
The Governor outlined the challenges faced by the Northern Province in managing teacher transfers. He pointed out that teachers, particularly those from Jaffna, are often required to travel to the other four districts for work, while most prefer to remain in Jaffna or be stationed closer to home. He further noted that even those who are assigned to other districts often choose to commute daily rather than reside in those areas, which impacts the quality and consistency of education. The Governor emphasized that this mindset shift must also be taken into consideration when addressing the issue..
Following the meeting, the Honorable Governor presented a memento to the Honorable Prime Minister.
The meeting was attended by Hon. Minister R. Chandrasekar, Honorable Member of Parliament K. Ilankumaran, Secretary to the Ministry of Secondary Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Chief Secretary of the Northern Province Mrs. Thanuja Murugesan, Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province S. Saththiyaseelan, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Northern Province M. Patrick Diranjan, Director of Education of the Northern Province Y. Jayachandran, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Secondary Education, and Director of Education for the Tamil Schools and Plantation Schools Development Division of the Ministry of Secondary Education, S. Pranavadhasan.
