Permanency for graduate recruits

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday pledged to confirm all employees recruited under the Government's graduate employment drive, before October 30, official sources said.

At a meeting with the Graduate Employees Unions yesterday Rajapakse said the Government will ensure all graduates who underwent training at various state institutions and awaiting permanency will be confirmed before end of next month.

The meeting convened to discuss the current status with regard to the graduate employment scheme was attended by the Treasury officials and Provincial council Secretaries.

The unions giving a detailed account of the grievances facing the graduates pointed out that a certain group of graduates have not yet been made permanent in their positions as promised.

It was agreed that giving teaching appointments for the graduates recruited under this scheme should begin from October 1. Graduates under the purview of the provincial councils too, is to benefit from this decision. The Treasury took up the responsibility of finding suitable employment for the graduates who fall short of the existing appointments in the state sector, the sources said.

Explaining the importance of this national programme and the contribution of the young educated for the country's development process, the Prime Minister advised the Treasury officials to empower the provincial authorities and release finances to fill vacancies in the institutions under their purview.

Rajapakse said that although due to inefficiencies and drawbacks in certain sectors, these functions have been delayed, they will be fast tracked in the future. "The aim of this national programme is to re-build the state sector for a more efficient and qualitative service to the people", he said.

He pointed out the necessity of having an accelerated programme for granting permanent posts to teachers already recruited for service, in order to fill the existing deficiency of teachers in the rural schools.