The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has officially amended the initial salary conversion and adjustment process for officers in the Sri Lanka Principals’ Service (SLPS).
According to Circular No. 03/2014 (I), issued on June 8, 2026, by the Ministry’s Secretary, Nalaka Kaluwewa, the Cabinet of Ministers approved these changes during a meeting held on May 11, 2026. The revision replaces Section 01 and its sub-sections of the previous Ministry of Education Circular No. 03/2014, substituting them with new directives aligned with Section 05 of Chapter VII (Volume I) of the Establishments Code.
The directive has been forwarded to all Provincial Secretaries of Education, as well as Provincial and Zonal Directors of Education, for immediate implementation.
New Salary Adjustment Criteria
The revised regulations outline four primary scenarios for fixing the initial salaries of SLPS officers at the time of their appointment:
- Scenario 1: If an officer’s last-drawn salary falls directly between two steps of the new salary scale, they will be placed on the immediate higher salary step and granted an additional salary increment.
- Scenario 2: If the last-drawn salary is exactly equal to the starting salary or a specific salary step of the new scale, the officer will be placed on the immediate higher salary step.
- Scenario 3: If the last-drawn salary is less than the starting salary of the new scale by an amount equal to or greater than one salary increment (based on the SLPS Grade III increment value), the officer will be placed on the initial step of the new scale.
- Scenario 4: If the last-drawn salary is lower than the starting salary of the new scale, but the deficit is less than the value of one salary increment (SLPS Grade III), the officer will be placed on the initial salary step and will also receive an additional salary increment.
Implementation Date and Overpayment Recovery
Important Notice on Arrears and Recoveries: The Ministry noted that the amended salaries must be paid effective from June 1, 2026, but emphasized that no arrears (back-pay) will be provided for the period prior to this date.
Furthermore, the circular addresses instances where overpayments may have already occurred. For any officers who previously had their initial salaries processed and paid under Section 05 of Chapter VII of the Establishments Code, any excess amounts paid to them up to June 1, 2026, must be recovered.
The recovery conditions are specified as follows:
- The overpaid amount will be recovered in 60 equal monthly installments.
- If an affected officer is scheduled to retire before the 60-month period concludes, the outstanding amount must be recovered in equal monthly installments prior to their official retirement date.
The Ministry clarified that this amendment exclusively replaces Section 01 and its sub-sections of Circular No. 03/2014, while all other provisions of the original circular remain unchanged and in full effect
