MOE Circular 44/2025: Non-Academic Staff Duty Hours
Complete guide to duty schedules for non-academic staff in Sri Lankan national schools, colleges, and teacher development centers
Overview
The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has issued Circular 44/2025, which provides comprehensive guidelines on duty hours for non-academic staff employed across Sri Lanka's educational institutions. This circular applies to all Chief Secretaries to Provincial Councils, Provincial Ministers of Education, Provincial Directors, Zonal Directors, National School Principals, National College Principals, Teacher Training College Principals, and Teacher Development Centers.
📌 Effective Date: This circular comes into force from 01 June 2026. All educational institutions must implement the specified duty hours for non-academic staff by this date.
Applicable Categories of Staff
Circular 44/2025 establishes duty hours for two main categories of non-academic staff:
Senior Level Staff (7 hours 45 minutes per day)
The following officers are required to engage in service for 7 hours and 45 minutes per day:
- Development Officers' Service – responsible for institutional development initiatives
- Sri Lanka Information & Communication Technology Service – managing technology infrastructure and digital initiatives
- Sri Lanka Libraries' Service – operating and maintaining institutional libraries
- Management Service Officers' Service – providing administrative support and management
- Associated Officers – including Development Assistants, Planning and Financial Assistants, and Management Assistants
- Management Assistant (Non-technical) Category II Service – Document Assistants, Laboratory Assistants, and Technological Faculty Assistants
Junior Level Staff (8 hours 45 minutes per day)
The following junior staff members are required to engage in service for 8 hours and 45 minutes per day:
- Office Employees' Service – administrative and clerical support staff
- Primary Non-Skilled Service – including:
- Work Aides
- Service Aides (Sanitation and Laboratory)
- Technology Faculty Aides
- Library Aides
- School Security Personnel
Detailed Duty Hour Schedules
Senior Administrative and Technical Staff
| Position | Workplace | Normal Duty Hours | Total Daily Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development Officer, Information & Communication Technology Assistant, Management Service Officer, Associated Officers | National Schools | 7:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Development Officer, Information & Communication Technology Assistant, Management Service Officer, Associated Officers | National Colleges of Education | 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Development Officer, Information & Communication Technology Assistant, Management Service Officer, Associated Officers | Teacher Training Colleges | 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Development Officer, Information & Communication Technology Assistant, Management Service Officer, Associated Officers | Teacher Development Centers | 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
Government Librarians
| Position | Workplace | Normal Duty Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Government Librarian | National Schools | 7:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. |
| Government Librarian | National Colleges of Education | 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. |
| Government Librarian | Teacher Training Colleges | 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. |
Drivers and Support Staff
| Position | Workplace | Duty Hours / Weekly Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | National Schools, Colleges, Teacher Training Colleges | 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (45 hours per week) |
| Office Employee (K.K.S) | National Colleges of Education | 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. |
| Office Employee (K.K.S) | Teacher Training Colleges | 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
Support and Service Staff
| Position | Workplace | Normal Duty Hours | Total Daily Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document Assistant | National Schools | 7:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Document Assistant | National Colleges of Education | 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Laboratory Assistant | National Schools | 7:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Laboratory Assistant | National Colleges of Education | 7:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Technological Faculty Assistant | National Schools | 7:15 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
| Technological Faculty Assistant | National Colleges of Education | 8:30 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. | 7 hours 45 minutes |
Service and Maintenance Staff
| Position | Workplace | Normal Duty Hours | Total Daily Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Library Aide | National Schools | 7:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. | 8 hours 45 minutes |
| Library Aide | National Colleges of Education | 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. | 8 hours 45 minutes |
| Library Aide | Teacher Training Colleges | 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | 8 hours 45 minutes |
| School Security | National Schools & Colleges | Full-time 9-hour service | 9 hours |
| Service Aide (Sanitation & Work Aide) | National Schools | 7:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. | 8 hours 45 minutes |
| Service Aide (Sanitation & Work Aide) | National Colleges of Education | 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. | 8 hours 45 minutes |
| Cook | All Educational Institutions | Full-time service | 8 hours 45 minutes |
Key Points to Note
- Variation by Institution Type: Duty times differ between national schools (typically 7:30 a.m. start) and colleges/training centers (typically 8:30 a.m. start)
- Saturday Deployment: Driver positions require flexible scheduling to accommodate potential Saturday deployment and maintain 45 hours per week coverage
- Security Services: School security staff require full-time 9-hour service arrangements with processes prepared by institutional heads
- Cook Services: Cook positions require 8 hours 45 minutes of full-time service with institutional heads preparing service schedules
- Residential Staff Unchanged: Current provisions for Student Housekeeper, Assistant Student Housekeeper, and Sickroom Attendants remain unchanged under paragraph 04 of this circular
- Previous Circulars Unaffected: Provisions of Circulars 9/2006, 27/2013, 08/2014, and 29/2017 remain unchanged unless explicitly modified herein
Implementation Timeline
Effective Date: 01 June 2026
All educational institutions must implement these duty hour arrangements by the effective date. Institutional heads should:
- Review current staffing arrangements and duty schedules
- Communicate new duty hours to affected employees
- Prepare shift schedules where applicable (especially for security and maintenance staff)
- Ensure compliance with all provisions by 01 June 2026
- Maintain official documentation of duty hour implementations
Special Considerations
Driver Service Hours
For drivers, the duty hours are structured to provide 45 hours of service per week across all educational institutions. When drivers are deployed on Saturday, institutions must prepare an official mechanism to aggregate the Seven and Half (7½) hours per week day to cover the Forty Five (45) hours per week requirement. This ensures consistent service availability without exceeding standard hours.
Security Services
School security personnel require a full-time 9-hour service arrangement. Each institutional head must prepare a formal process and schedule for deploying security staff to ensure continuous coverage throughout operating hours.
Culinary Services
Cook positions require 8 hours 45 minutes of full-time daily service. Institutional heads must prepare service schedules that ensure consistent meal preparation and service delivery across all educational institutions.
Authority and Reference
This circular is issued in accordance with the provisions of Public Administration Circular Nos. 9/2006, 27/2013, 08/2014, and 29/2017 on duty hours of non-academic staff employed in government educational institutions.
Contact Information:
Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Email: info@moe.gov.lk
www.moe.gov.lk
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does this circular apply to?
This circular applies to all non-academic staff employed at National Schools, National Colleges of Education, Teacher Training Colleges, and Teacher Development Centers operating under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.
When do these new duty hours take effect?
The new duty hours come into force from 01 June 2026. All institutions must implement these schedules by this date.
Are there different hours for different positions?
Yes. Staff are divided into two main categories: those working 7 hours 45 minutes per day (senior administrative and technical staff) and those working 8 hours 45 minutes per day (junior and support staff). Additionally, security and culinary staff have special arrangements requiring full-time 9-hour service or coordinated scheduling.
What if my institution cannot accommodate these hours?
All institutions must comply with the duty hours specified in this circular. If compliance creates operational challenges, institutional heads should communicate with the relevant provincial or zonal education authority for guidance.
Do these hours apply to residential staff?
No. Residential staff positions (Student Housekeeper, Assistant Student Housekeeper, and Sickroom Attendants) continue under previous service requirements and are not affected by this circular.