By Chaturanga Samarawickrama

The Education Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena today assured that the government had taken the final decision to resume school education on October 21. 

Addressing the media in commemoration of the 137th birthday of Sir Dr.C.W.W.Kannangara in Mathugama, he said the Ministry had decided to reopen schools in several stages. 

The discussion, which was held by the Prime Minister with members of the Ceylon Teachers' Union (CTU) and principal union, ended with fruitful solutions to their salary anomaly issue. During a meeting with representatives of teachers' and principals' trade unions, the Prime Minister had agreed to increase salaries in three instalments in two budget stages as a resolution to eliminate their salary anomalies.

It is an important decision taken amidst the current difficult economic and financial crisis.